The State Bureau of Investigation has notified patrol officers of their status as suspects for failing to stop a shooting in Kyiv
Officers from the State Bureau of Investigations have notified two patrol police officers that they are under suspicion for failing to take the necessary measures to stop an armed attack and protect people.
According to the investigation, on 18 April 2026, a patrol police crew was on duty in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv. Before starting their shift, the officers were issued with service firearms and a patrol car.
Whilst on patrol, they received a call regarding a domestic dispute and arrived at a residential building on Demiivska Street at around 16:33.
It has been preliminarily established that during the dispute, a man opened fire with a non-lethal weapon, injuring people near the entrance. He then returned to his flat, set it alight, and later came back out onto the street with a carbine and continued firing.
Upon arrival, the patrol officers saw an injured child and two adults with gunshot wounds. Passers-by were attempting to assist them.
The investigation believes that the police officers were aware of the armed assailant and the real threat to people’s lives. The law permitted them to use their service weapons without warning to stop the attack.
However, the officers did not exercise this right and did not take measures to stop the shooting. Instead, they left the scene, leaving the wounded and others unprotected.
As a result, the attacker was not stopped in time. Over the course of several hours, he killed six people; another person died in hospital.
According to the investigation, the improper performance of official duties may have contributed to the shooting continuing.
The two patrol officers have been notified of suspicion of professional negligence resulting in serious consequences in the form of loss of life, under Part 3 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Investigators have filed a motion for the imposition of a preventive measure in the form of detention.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. Law enforcement officers are checking the involvement of other individuals and establishing all the circumstances of the incident. The Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office is overseeing the proceedings.
