Four people have been killed in a shooting spree in the village of Kratovo, southeast of Moscow, where a man barricaded himself in his home and opened fire on by-passers. The gunman was killed as he tried to shoot his way out of the police cordon.

After authorities surrounded the house, the suspect engaged law enforcement in a firefight, with the sounds of gunfire and grenade blasts echoing through the locality. Four officers sustained light injuries before police and the National Guard shot and killed the gunman, following the hours-long stand-off.

“The shooter was blocked. For several hours he was shooting, throwing grenades. There were 14 explosions, four special forces were injured. Their injuries are light, nothing is threatening their lives,” said Russian Minister of Internal Affairs, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, who traveled to the scene to take personal charge of the situation.

At least four people were killed by the gunman, including two found dead in the suspect’s house after officers stormed it.

The drama played out in the village of Kratovo in Moscow’s Ramensky District, where the man, named by neighbors as “Igor,” barricaded himself in his house and opened fire on by-passers and police.

The house was swiftly cordoned off and special forces from the Russian National Guard were deployed to the scene.

During the stand-off, the suspect’s father arrived at the scene, pleading with his son to surrender. His pleas, however, were only answered with more shots.

After nightfall, the suspect reportedly escaped the house, but remained within the perimeter of the cordon and was pinned down and killed by authorities. His house reportedly caught fire and burnt down as authorities didn’t allow the fire crews into the area.

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An investigation is now underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the encounter and a murder investigation has been launched.

"The case is being brought in three parts – article 317 [threatening the life of a law enforcement officer], article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation [illegal arms trafficking] and part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code [killing two or more persons]," according to local Interior Ministry director Elena Fokina.

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The suspect had no guns officially registered to him, according to authorities.

Locals told reporters that Igor had served in the conflict in Chechnya, lived with his mother and may have been suffering from a mental condition.

A neighbor told Ren TV that Igor had previously worked at the OMON (riot police) and MChS (Ministry of Emergency Situations).

“He was hurt in the MChS, and afterwards spent some time in a mental hospital,” the neighbor said.</s>At least 4 people were reportedly killed as a shooter opens fire at by-passers near Moscow on Saturday, reports RT.

The incident took place when an unknown man locked himself in his house in village of Kratovo, southeast of Moscow and opened fire on random by-passers in which four people lost lives succumbing to bullet injuries, reports local media.

The gunman used a hunting rifle to launch attack on unwarranted people outside his home.

Reportedly several others suffered injuries have been rushed to a local hospital Zhukovsky to recieve medial assistance.

The Special Forces from the Russian National Guard have cordoned off the area.</s>At least four people have been reportedly killed in Kratovo, a village in southeast of Moscow. According to RT, a man opened fire on by-passers after barricading himself in his house.

The gunman has been identified as Igor by a neighbour. He shot at at least five men and women.

The local department of the Interior Ministry told RT in an earlier statement that, “According to preliminary reports, in the area of Kratovo a man born in 1967, from the territory of his household, started shooting at passers-by with a hunting rifle. As a result of gunfire several people were injured to varying degrees and were hospitalized.”

The house was immediately cordoned off and special forces from the Russian National Guard were deployed. A security source told RIA Novosti that the gunman, Igor also shot fire at security forces and also threw two grenades.

“On the territory of the house from which the shots were fired, two more dead bodies were found. This brings the total number of dead to four,” a police source told TASS.

The gunman managed to escape from the scene but police is searching him. According to the neighbour, Ignor was suffering from a mental condition.
A 50-year-old man opens fire on passers-by in Kratovo, Russia, killing four people.