Seven people shot dead near pond in Zhytomyr region

"A group of residents of Kyiv, long-time friends, were resting on the shore of a pond, not far from the village of Novoselytsia, Popilnia district. They have already gathered there several times to fish. In total, according to the police, there were nine people, including the lessee of the pond, citizen Z., born in 1962," he wrote on his Facebook page.

After drinking alcohol, six vacationers went to bed in a shed located on the shore of the pond. Two others continued to drink alcohol with the lessee of the pond.

"At about 1 o'clock in the morning, the lessee of the pond, Z., a professional hunter, in a burst of sudden hostility, opened fire on the visitors from his IZh hunting rifle. First, he killed the two who stayed with him. Then, he started shooting six sleeping people. In total, he managed to shoot dead seven people," Gerashchenko said.

Only one guest, having heard the shots, managed to escape into the woods, reached the village and called the police.

The suspect in the murder of seven people has been detained and remanded in custody.

The shotgun from which the murder was committed has been seized.

The detainee will be sent for a forensic psychiatric examination after which the court will decide whether he is sane or not, Gerashchenko said.