Arrest of Youths for Assault in Odesa
The suspects have been taken into custody. They face up to 15 years of imprisonment with asset confiscation. The incident occurred last week in the evening on the streets of the Khadzhybiysky district of Odesa.
Police established that two young men decided to steal a bag from a boy who was out walking with a friend. Approaching them under the pretext of asking for a cigarette, the assailants sprayed tear gas at the strangers, assaulted one of them, took his bag of personal belongings, and fled. When the 20-year-old owner of the bag attempted to chase after the attackers, one of them threw a stone, hitting him in the temple. After this, the offenders fled the scene of the crime.
The victim sought medical assistance and reported the incident to the police. Doctors diagnosed him with a closed head injury and a concussion.
Thanks to the joint efforts of detectives from the criminal investigation and analysis units, investigators, and operatives from police station No. 3 of the Odesa District Police Department No. 1, under the procedural guidance of the Khadzhybiysky District Prosecutor's Office, the perpetrators were identified. They turned out to be friends aged 23 and 20 from the Rozdilna district, who had recently arrived in the regional center for work. After committing the crime, they went to a friend’s place in the Odesa region to hide.
According to the youths, they discarded the stolen items. Law enforcement is working to locate the property. Preliminary estimates indicate that the victim suffered property losses amounting to 9000 hryvnias.
During sanctioned searches at the suspects' permanent and temporary residences, police seized the clothes they wore at the time of the crime, their mobile phones, a gun resembling a traumatic weapon, 51 ammunition rounds of various calibers, TNT, detonating cord, a detonator capsule, and a grenade body with its fuse. The evidence has been sent for forensic examination.
Additionally, police have received and are verifying information that the youths may also be involved in injuring a 53-year-old resident of Odesa.
Currently, based on the collected evidence, investigators have notified the suspects of their suspicion under part 4 of article 187 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for robbery with violence against the victim. The court has imposed preventive measures in the form of detention. For robbery, they face up to fifteen years in prison with confiscation of property.
Furthermore, criminal proceedings have been initiated under part 1 of article 263 (illegal handling of weapons, military supplies, or explosives) and part 1 of article 122 (intentional moderate bodily harm) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Further investigations and forensic examinations will determine the final legal qualification of the offenders' actions.
The pre-trial investigation continues, with investigative actions being carried out with the involvement of specialists from the explosives service and the special police battalion.
