Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk cathedral shooting

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk cathedral shooting
The Resurrection Cathedral in June 2014
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Sakhalin Oblast) Show map of Sakhalin Oblast Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Russia) Show map of Russia
Location	Resurrection Cathedral Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Oblast, Russia
Coordinates	46.96071°N 142.74816°E / 46.96071; 142.74816
Date	9 February 2014; 10 years ago (2014-02-09) 14:00 (GMT+11)
Attack type	Mass shooting
Weapons	Pump-action shotgun
Deaths	2
Injured	6
Perpetrator	Stepan Aleksandrovich Komarov
Motive	Anti-Christian sentiment

On 9 February 2014, a mass shooting occurred at the Resurrection Cathedral in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. Security guard Stepan Komarov shot eight people, killing two, before being arrested. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015.

Before the shooting, Komarov expressed anti-religious beliefs. He obtained the weapon used in the shooting from his employer, a private security company, sparking some controversy.

Shooting

At 14:00 (GMT+11) on 9 February 2014, Stepan Komarov, carrying a shotgun, entered the cathedral, where a service commemorating the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church had recently ended.^[1][2] A witness said that he was wearing a black security guard uniform.^[3] Congregants and clergy were still present, although most attendees of the service had left.^[4] According to eyewitnesses, Komarov approached the altar and yelled, "Everyone, get out of here!"^[3] After the congregants began running towards the exit, he opened fire.^[5]

A parishioner, Vladimir Viktor Zaporozhets, charged the shooter and attempted to stop him, but was shot four times in the head, chest, and legs, dying at the scene.^[6][7] Nun Lyudmila Pryashnikova, who was the first person to report the shooting, was also killed at the scene.^[6] Six other people were wounded.^[6][8] After shooting the victims, Komarov fired shots at icons inside the cathedral, and broke the cross at the entrance of the royal doors.^[6] He reportedly yelled about his hatred for Christianity and believers.^[6] Police officers arrived and arrested Komarov, who offered no resistance.^[3][9]

Perpetrator

The shooter was identified as 24-year-old Stepan Aleksandrovich Komarov (Russian: Степан Александрович Комаров, born 1 December 1989), a bank security guard, former Russian Naval Infantry marine, and resident of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.^[10][11] He possessed a weapons license as part of his job.^[12] In the months preceding the shooting, Komarov posted diatribes on his VK profile about brainwashing and slavery, as well as photographs of weapons.^[13][14] According to the investigation, he was intoxicated during the shooting.^[6][9] A psychiatric test found no evidence of mental illness.^[15] Tattoos on his body included a swastika and a Nazi symbol.^[16] According to his parents, Komarov suffered a head injury in a maternity ward and had problems with mental health and self-control since childhood.^[17] Komarov followed modern paganism and was influenced by the teachings of Nikolai Levashov.^[6] Church officials and the investigation stated that the shooting was motivated by his distaste for the Orthodox faith, which was formed by his neo-pagan beliefs.^[14]

Legal proceedings

Komarov was charged with the murder of two or more persons, intentionally causing grievous bodily harm, intentional infliction of harm, hooliganism, vandalism, destruction or damage to objects of cultural heritage, and incitement to hatred.^[14][18] He faced a life sentence for these charges.^[18] Komarov testified during the trial, saying that he committed the shooting for "personal and strong convictions", but later recanted his statement and gave no motive.^[19] On 31 March 2015, Komarov was convicted of all charges.^[14] He was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment in a maximum security colony and forced to pay 7,500,000 ₽ to the dead and injured.^[14] On 12 April, prosecutors appealed to change the verdict, which the Supreme Court granted on 18 June, sentencing Komarov to life imprisonment.^[20][21] As of 2020, he was imprisoned in the Snowflake prison in Khabarovsk Krai.^[22] According to an employee, he refused to talk to anyone, including his parents.^[22]

Reactions

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of Russian Orthodoxy, expressed his condolences for the shooting victims.^[23] Prayers were offered in the 2014 Winter Olympics village in Sochi.^[24] State Duma deputy Nikolay Kovalyov proposed to regulate the activities of private security companies like Komarov's employer.^[25]

References

1. "В Сахалине охранник расстрелял верующих". Amitel News Agency. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
2. Chebykina, Olga (9 February 2014). "Охранник отправился в храм Южно-Сахалинска сразу после получения оружия". NTV (in Russian). Retrieved 6 February 2024.
3. ""Убирайтесь все отсюда!": потерпевшие рассказали, как вел себя убийца в храме". NTV (in Russian). 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
4. "Архиепископ Южно-Сахалинский Тихон: Прошу, не надо запускать очередные "утки"". Pravoslavie (in Russian). 10 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
5. "Подробности бойни в храме: монахиня закрыла собой прихожан". The Russian Times. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
6. "Сахалинский стрелок-неоязычник Степан Комаров во время расстрела прихожан был сильно пьян и, по данным очевидцев, кричал о ненависти к верующим и христианству". Fontanka (in Russian). 10 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
7. "Установлена личность второго погибшего в Воскресенском соборе Южно-Сахалинска". Pravoslavie (in Russian). 10 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
8. "Убиенная монахиня Людмила". Pravoslavie (in Russian). 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
9. "Расстрелявший людей и иконы в храме охранник Степан был пьян". NTV (in Russian). 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
10. "Сахалинский стрелок Степан Комаров". ww16.dofiga.net. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
11. "Перечень дополнен". Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). 13 April 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
12. "Расстрелявший людей и иконы в храме охранник Степан был пьян // Новости НТВ". NTV (in Russian). 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
13. "Сахалинский стрелок перед убийством в церкви писал полные гнева посты "ВКонтакте"". NTV (in Russian). 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
14. ""Сахалинский стрелок" был здоров и вменяем". Kommersant (in Russian). 1 April 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
15. Tolopvanov, Evgeniy (9 February 2014). "Перед расстрелом прихожан стрелок произнес речь". NTV (in Russian). Retrieved 6 February 2024.
16. Korneva, Lyudmila (12 February 2014). "Сахалинский стрелок в момент преступления был пьян". Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 6 February 2024.
17. "Продолжается суд по делу "сахалинского стрелка" Степана Комарова". ASTV. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
18. "Стрелку из сахалинского храма предъявили обвинение" (in Russian). 10 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
19. "Сахалинский стрелок объяснил бойню в храме "твердыми убеждениями"". NTV (in Russian). 11 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
20. "Прокуратура обжаловала приговор "сахалинскому стрелку"". NTV (in Russian). 13 April 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
21. ""Сахалинскому стрелку" ужесточили наказание до пожизненного". TASS. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
22. "Курорт для маньяков: мы побывали в самой необычной колонии смертников". Moskovsky Komsomolets (in Russian). 12 June 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
23. "Святейший Патриарх Кирилл вознес молитвы о упокоении погибших в результате нападения в кафедральном соборе Южно-Сахалинска / Новости / Патриархия.ru". Pravoslavie (in Russian). 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
24. "В олимпийской деревне вознесли молитвы о погибших в Южно-Сахалинске / Новости". Pravoslavie (in Russian). 9 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
25. "Депутат ГД считает необходимым усилить регулирование работы ЧОПов". RIA Novosti (in Russian). 10 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.