MOSCOW, April 1 (RIA Novosti/RAPSI) - Moscow's district court on Tuesday extended by four months the custody of a Russian teenager accused of fatally shooting two people at his school in early February.
According to the ruling, 15-year-old Sergei Gordeyev will remain in custody until August 3. The hearing was held in absentia, as the suspect is currently undergoing a court-ordered psychiatric examination. The results of the exam will be announced in mid-April.
Defense attorneys and the mother of the student had asked the court to release him to parental care but judge Alexander Vasin of the Basmanny District Court ruled that the parents could not ensure his good behavior.
In February, the teenager barged into a classroom where his geography teacher was giving a lesson and fatally shot him, then held about 20 students hostage, authorities said. The gunman also shot at two police officers arriving on the scene, killing one and wounding the other, officials said.
The student was charged with murder, intent to commit murder and the taking of hostages. The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld his detention.
Russian media reports said the student was angry at the teacher for preventing him from being awarded a gold medal for academic performance. Investigators say the suspect fired no less than 11 shots with two rifles legally registered to his father.
Under Russian law, underage criminals face a maximum sentence of ten years in a juvenile correctional facility. After the incident, Russian lawmakers reacted with a barrage of legislation, including proposals to ban violent videogames and scenes of child violence on TV.
