The court has found the evidence gathered by the Main Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee sufficient to convict Sergey Pomazun. He was found guilty of crimes under paragraphs “a”, “c”, “f”, “i” and “j” of part 2 of article 105 of the RF Criminal Code, part 1 of article 222, part 1 of article 226, paragraph “b” of part 4 of article 226, article 317 (murder of two or more people, including a small child, motivated by hooliganism, with the purpose to conceal another crime; illegal handling of firearms; stealing of ammunitions, committed using violence, dangerous for life and health; encroachment on the life of a law enforcement agent).
The court and investigators have found that Pomazun had a design to kill an unlimited number of people motivated by hooliganism. He carefully planned his actions and chose in advance the place where he would leave his car after the crime. On 22 April 2013, he opened the metallic door of a cupboard, where his father kept his firearms, and stole a carbine, two hunting rifles and a lot of ammunition. In the Okhota shop he shot two sales assistants and a customer to make the stealing of two Tiger carbines and over 200 different ammunitions easier. Outside the shop Pomasun motivated by hooliganism shot an underage girl in the back from the Vepr carbine. On his way to the car, Pomazun killed one more underage girl near house No 76 in Narodny Boulevard by shooting her in the head. Having pulled up near the Belgorod department store the convict got out the car and shot a male pedestrian from the carbine. After that he shot several times in the direction of crowds of people and fled the crime scene. During the arrest on 23 April he stabbed a police officer several times causing him medium-range bodily harm.
This criminal case is unique because with a lot of victims it has been investigated efficiently and forwarded to court in a very short time. Investigators questioned tens of witnesses, fixed more than 50 expert examinations, including DNA tests, traceological, forensic, medical, ballistic, biological and conducted a number of other investigating operations. It should be noted that Pomazun did not give any testimonies, except for check of testimonies on site, when he pointed to the place where he had hidden the firearms from which he had killed people. But by that time the investigators had already found and seized the guns and run the necessary tests, which confirmed that they were the guns the people had been killed from.
As for the character of the so called “Belgorod shooter”, I can say that having talked to him the investigators have compiled an exact psychological portrait of the convict. He is a failure, who tried to stand out, be admired, be a leader in the eyes of surrounding people having absolutely no reasons for that. Complete mismatch of his desires and abilities made him angry on the whole world. Any harmless remark in his address at any moment could blow him up, which actually happened on 22 April. Though it could have happened in any other time and anybody could have become his victims.
Based on this tragic and maybe not typical for Russia example we should make tough, but most importantly correct conclusions, so that such examples will not be imitated. First of all this concerns provision of security in shops selling guns, places where owners store their guns and enhancement of public control over those who issue necessary papers and permits on hunting guns. And of course special attention should be paid to persons being released from prisons, including psychological tests on aggression.
The court sentenced Pomazun to life in prison.
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