Regional daily: Court to decide on Lihula shooter sentence next month

Lihula gas station, scene of the start of the chain of events which led to last June's fatal shooting.
Lihula gas station, scene of the start of the chain of events which led to last June's fatal shooting. Source: Juhan Hepner / ERR

A decision on sentencing of the Lihula shooter, who killed two and injured several more in last summer's attack, is to be made next month, regional daily Lääne Elu reports.

The trial of the accused, Mikk Taraste, started at Pärnu County Court in February, with the ruling due on May 20, Lääne Elu reports (link in Estonian).

As reported on ERR News, prosecutor Gardi Anderson is seeking the maximum penalty possible for the crimes, i.e. life imprisonment, for Taraaste, 33, charged with the double homicide and attack, which took place on June 6 near Lihula, Pärnu County.

Tarraste is also charged with firearms offences in respect of illegal ammunition found at his two places of residence (Tarraste legally owned the weapons used in the attack, it is reported) and also of trying to conceal crimes in fleeing the scene of a road traffic accident he had caused at a gas station in Lihula.

Legal counsel for Tarraste, Rünno Roosmaa, says the punishment should be lighter.

The tariff ranges from 8 to 20 years, or life, in the case of the crimes Tarraste is charged with.

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Editor: Andrew Whyte

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