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Investigators do not rule out Dagestan church shooting was terror attack

An armed man opened gunfire at people leaving an Orthodox church in Dagestan's Kizlyar on Sunday, killing four and wounding four others

St George Cathedral in Kizlyar, where a local resident opened fire at people Nizami Gadzhibalayev/TASS

St George Cathedral in Kizlyar, where a local resident opened fire at people

© Nizami Gadzhibalayev/TASS

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Investigators do not rule out that the church shooting in Dagestan’s Kizlyar was a terror attack, Russian Investigative Committee Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said on Monday.

"Investigators are looking at various theories of the incident, trying to find out the attacker’s motives. A terror attack is among possible theories," she said.

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An armed man opened gunfire at people leaving an Orthodox church in Kizlyar on Sunday, killing four and wounding four others, including police and National Guard officers. One of those wounded later died in hospital. All the victims had gunshot wounds. The gunman was shot dead by the police while trying to flee the scene.

The gunman was identified as a 22-year-old local resident. Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under Articles 105.2 (murder with aggravating circumstances) and 317 (attempt on the life of a law enforcer) of the Russian Criminal Code.

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