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Moscow shooter who attacked police officers used powerful less-lethal gun

In the evening of June 15, a passer-by opened fire at police officers, injuring two, according to earlier reports
Police officers at the scene of a gun attack, in which an unknown man opened fire on police officers on Leninsky Prospekt Valery Sharifulin/TASS
Police officers at the scene of a gun attack, in which an unknown man opened fire on police officers on Leninsky Prospekt
© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, June 15. /TASS/. The man who shot at traffic police officers in Moscow on Monday used T12 less-lethal gun, which can potentially be lethal, a law enforcement agency source told TASS.

"According to the information available, the attacker used T12 gun manufactured in Slovakia. As of today, it is one of the most powerful less-lethal weapons that can be legally purchased in Russia. It uses 12 mm caliber bullets. It is possible that the perpetrator also used powerful munitions, which are currently banned in Russia," the source said.

The probe is underway to determine whether the shooter had a license to possess the weapon.

Earlier on Monday, traffic police officers stopped a taxi for violating traffic rules. A passer-by then took out a traumatic gun and started shooting at the officers. Three people, including two police officers, were wounded as a result. One of them managed to apprehend the attacker.

According to the source, one of the police officers is in critical condition. The shooter is said to have fired around 10 bullets at the officers. He was injured in the retaliatory fire, apprehended and taken to hospital. The source added that the assailant, 25, came from Russia’s Ingushetia and was deliberately shooting at the officers without any obvious reason.

Criminal proceedings were launched into the shooting.