Attacker Stopped By Visitors and Sellers Of Minsk Shopping Mall

The detainee told investigators that he was annoyed by large crowds of people.

The attacker was operating alone. First deputy chairman of the Investigative Committee Aliaksei Voukau informed during the press-conference, tut.by informs.

Yesterday a young man entered the shopping mall at about 5.20 pm. He was carrying a guitar case with an ax, as it turned out later. In his left hand he had a working chainsaw. 50 meters away from the entrance he put the case on a sofa where two women were sitting. When women started to go away the teenager blew a few strokes in a back of a woman with a chainsaw. She fell down and then he took the ax and stabbed her three times. The woman succumbed to injuries on the spot.

Then the teenager entered a pizzeria and stabbed one of visitors two times. Later he faced a cleaner in a corridor and tried to stab her, but she managed to dodge and was stabbed in her arm.

"While walking along corridors he was followed by 5-15 people who tried to stop him with chairs and litter bins. I'd like to thank those people who tried to detain him," Voukau said.

He says the teenager was detained with an assistance of visitors and sellers.

The detention by guards is questionable... . We did not see the security personnel on video. This will be other issue," the first deputy chairman added.

"Criminal intent arose right before the attack. He bought a chainsaw, an ax and protective equipment - a ski mask, a helmet, glasses and ear muffles," the Investigative Committee informs.

It is also known that the 17 year-old attacker studies at one of capital's universities. He comes from a secured family. The teenager had his own apartment.

He confessed that 3 hours before the attack he had drunk 150 grams of vodka. According to him, here is the reason for the crime: "I wanted to chop people" . According to him, crowds irritated him.

The Committee says that his mental condition is questionable, and all information will be provided after a forensic psychiatric evaluation. No traces of any narcotic or psychotropic substances have been identified.

The night before there was an attack in Europe shopping mall: 17-year-old man with a chainsaw and an ax attacked people . 43-year -old woman was wounded to death. Two people were injured: 46-year-old visitor was stabbed with an ax two times, doctors say she is in a satisfactory condition. Another injured person - a cleaner - was slightly injured and needed no hospitalization.