Police Seek Charges Against Man Who Shot Suspected Thief With Hunting Rifle in Ventspils Municipality

The State Police of Latvia have finished investigating a property owner who shot a suspected thief with a hunting rifle during an attempted theft in Vārve parish, Ventspils municipality, in June 2024. The case files have been handed to the prosecutor's office, which will decide whether to start criminal prosecution. The police informed the portal Delfi.

What happened

According to the police, at around 3 a.m. on 23 June 2024 they received a report of thefts at several properties in Vārve parish. One owner, who is a hunter, took his hunting rifle and fired in the direction of the intruder, wounding him. The injured man was taken to a medical facility, and a few hours later police learned that he had died of his injuries. The shooter was detained.

What the investigation found

Investigators established that the man came onto the property and most likely tried to steal a car, but could not drive out of the enclosed grounds. The owner maintains that he acted in self-defence. However, the bullet struck the thief in the back, in the hip area, and police conclude that the man had not launched a direct attack on the owner but had turned his back to him.

The owner was given the status of suspect in the criminal proceedings, and all his weapons were confiscated.

Charges and penalty

The criminal case was opened for intentional serious bodily harm that, through the offender's negligence, caused the victim's death, and for violating the rules on using firearms, where the offence is committed by a person permitted to acquire, store or carry a firearm and results in grave consequences – in this case, a person's death. Under the Criminal Law, the maximum penalty for such offences is up to fifteen years in prison.

Police remind that no one is considered guilty until guilt is proven in the manner prescribed by law.