Bringing martial arts movies to life, a karate master in St. Petersburg dodged a gunshot and defeated a fighting dog when attacked in the street on Thursday, killing his opponent with a couple kicks and punches.
The fight started when businessman and martial arts enthusiast Ruslan Merzlyakov, 35, out jogging with his six-year-old son, reprimanded Sergei Dorin, 42, for walking his Staffordshire terrier without a muzzle.
The dog’s owner replied with insults and eventually sicked the animal on Merzlyakov, who promptly knocked it out, a law enforcement source told RIA Novosti.
Dorin then pulled out a handgun and fired at Merzlyakov’s legs, but missed. The gun jammed on the second shot, Fontanka.ru local news website said.
The karate expert then delivered several blows to Dorin’s head and body, killing him on the spot, the report said.
Dorin was a former gang member with a criminal record, Fontanka.ru said, adding that police found bullets and a hand grenade at his apartment.
Investigators opened a case into the incident, but are only treating Merzlyakov as a witness so far, Gazeta.ru said.
The athlete, who is known for his short temper, according to his colleagues, had a nervous breakdown after the incident, the report said.
The dog run away at the sound of gunshots and remained on the loose as of Thursday evening.
