A gunman opened fire at a supermarket in the Holosiivsky district of Kiev, killing six people and injuring several others. The attacker took people hostage, but was killed in a special force action by the Ukrainian police. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed grief over the incident and ordered a swift investigation. 4 hostages were rescued safely, the motive of the attack is still unknown.
Kyiv Supermarket Shooting: Ukraine’s capital Kiev was shaken on Saturday when suddenly the sounds of gunfire started echoing in the Holosievsky district in the southern part of the city. According to eyewitnesses, a gunman started firing indiscriminately in a residential area, causing people to run here and there to save their lives. Initial reports confirmed at least five to six people dead, while several others were injured and rushed to hospital in shock.
Scroll to load tweet…
How did the attacker commit the incident in the supermarket?
The situation became more serious when the attacker entered a nearby supermarket and took the people present there hostage. There was chaos among the customers and employees inside. Kiev Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said that continuous gunfire was heard from inside the store, prompting security forces outside to cordon off the area. Meanwhile, success was achieved in evacuating four hostages safely, which brought a small ray of relief.
Scroll to load tweet…
Entry of special forces and tense encounter
As soon as information about the incident was received, the Special Force of Ukrainian Police was immediately deployed on the spot. The area was completely sealed and nearby buildings were evacuated. After this, a tense situation remained between the security forces and the attacker. The situation remained extremely sensitive during the operation as the lives of the hostages inside were in danger.
Attackers killed, but questions remain
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the attacker had been killed in action by security forces. However, his motive is not yet clear. Officials have said that all the circumstances of the incident are being thoroughly investigated and any possible foul play or mental state is also being investigated.
Investigation and national response
Zelensky expressed deep grief over the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims and ordered a swift investigation. A video released by UNIAN showed the horrifying early moments of the attack, which has shocked the nation. At present, security arrangements have been tightened in Kiev and the entire matter is being looked at from the point of view of national security.