The injury to the child during the police chase in Ingushetia caused a stir online.
In Ingushetia, a police officer opened fire on a car during a chase and injured a child inside. Doctors described his condition as stable but noted the need for long-term rehabilitation. Some residents of the republic, commenting on the video of the incident on social media, blamed the police officer, while others blamed the driver of the car for not obeying the authorities.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported details of the incident
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia, on August 23, during a police chase of two "Lada Priora" cars, a child born in 2015, who was in the back seat of one of the cars, received a through gunshot wound to the left shin.
According to the department, traffic police inspectors noticed two "Lada Priora" cars without license plates, with tinted side and front windows, speeding along the federal highway. The drivers ignored repeated demands to stop and increased their speed, posing a threat to other road users. During the pursuit, the police repeatedly warned the drivers over the loudspeaker of their intention to use service weapons. Then, an officer first fired a warning shot into the air, and after that, the police shot at the cars' tires, the department reported today on its Telegram channel.
One car stopped after its rear wheel was damaged, but its driver fled. The driver of the second car also managed to escape. Later, police officers identified and detained both drivers – residents of the rural settlement of Alkhasty born in 1998 and 2007.
The court sentenced both drivers to ten days of administrative arrest for disobeying the police. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia is conducting an investigation into the chase involving gunfire and the injury to the child, the statement said.
The child faces a long rehabilitation period
The child underwent surgery. The surgical intervention went smoothly with minimal blood loss. The patient's condition was assessed as stable, of moderate severity, with positive dynamics. He was transferred from intensive care to the trauma and orthopedics department and prescribed comprehensive therapy, the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital of Ingushetia reported today on its Telegram channel.
The injury turned out to be complex; however, the main vessels, nerve trunks, and joint capsule were not damaged, said the head of the trauma and orthopedics department Isa Khashiev.
"The prognosis for full recovery is favorable, but the child faces a long rehabilitation period under the supervision of our specialists," Khashiev said, as quoted in the hospital's statement.
Commentators debated the actions of the authorities
Today, the video of the chase and shooting was published on the Telegram channel "Fortanga".
In the footage recorded from inside the car, a man is driving, while another man and a child are sitting in the back. A police car is moving alongside. Then, at least eight pops, resembling gunshots, are heard in the cabin, after which the driver accelerates. A few more pops are heard. After the police car overtakes the vehicle, screams are heard in the cabin, the child starts screaming loudly, and then the recording cuts off.
This same video was published on August 26 by the Instagram* public novosti_ingushetia_, which has about 124,000 followers. As of 1:00 PM MSK on August 26, this post had received 95 likes and 57 comments.
Some commentators criticized the use of firearms by the police. "He won't even be fired," said abdulla_evlo3.
"If you can't shoot, why did you pull out your gun? Can you shoot like that when a convoy is moving?" wrote user vghk.khf.
"You have no right to use firearms if innocent people could be harmed as a result," pointed out muslim.avt.95.
Other users placed the blame for the incident on the drivers who ignored police orders. "Why should he be fired? If he is told to stop, he should have stopped," said madlen_0022.
"This is not because of the officers, but because of some drivers who don't understand when they are spoken to normally. Honestly, because of them, the innocent suffer," believes user katsasia.
"They shouldn't have ignored it. <…> this wouldn't have happened. <…> They are doing their job. There was a violation of the rules since they demanded to stop," thinks chapr_505__.