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Investigative Committee’s Chairman orders Central Office to supervise probe into bear attack in Voronezh Region

Chairman of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin has ordered the Central Office to supervise the investigation started by the Voronezh Region Investigative Authority against a 48-year-old residents of Semiluki District suspected of providing unsafe services that led to death of a person under Part 2, item “c” of Article 238 of the RF Criminal Code.

According to preliminary data, the 48-year-old entrepreneur kept and bred different animals, including a bear, on his private property in the settlement of Semiluki, Semiluki District, Voronezh Region.

At about 9 AM, on 15 October 2017, the bear broke out of its enclosure and headed to nearby properties, where he attacked and killed an 86-year-old man. The owner tried to calm the animal down and get him back to the enclosure, but was injured and taken to hospital. Some local residents called the police, who had to gun down the wild animal wondering around the village.

Investigators have examined the crime scene and ordered forensic medical examinations. They are identifying and questioning witnesses and checking if the man’s permission to keep wild animals had been legally obtained.

Mr.  Bastrykin ordered the Central Office to look carefully into the case and find out all the circumstances surrounding the incident, as well as its causes and contributing conditions.

 

Spokesperson for the Investigative Committee                                                                                               S. Petrenko