3 killed in Russia courthouse shooting

Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's chief investigative body, said in a statement today the incident took place when five handcuffed defendants tried to escape as they were escorted by two guards at the Moscow Regional Court.

The body said one of the defendants tried to strangle one of the guards, and the defendants managed to escape and seized the guards' weapons.

A shootout with the court's guards ensued, and three of the defendants were killed. Two guards were injured.

Authorities said the incident took place before a hearing in a case of a gang of nine people who are suspected of killing more than a dozen of motorists.

Russia media dubbed the accused "the Grand Theft Auto gang" after the violent video game. The men on trial are accused of terrorising Moscow motorists for months in 2014.

Prosecutors said the gang members were placing spikes on roads, forcing the motorists out of their vehicles and shooting them dead.

The nine men, all from Central Asia, are charged with 17 murders and two attempted murders.

Russian news agencies are reporting that two people have been injured in a shooting inside a courthouse in a Moscow suburb.

The agencies today quoted a lawyer who was at the courthouse and saw a guard and a court official injured.

According to the Tass agency, Nataly Osipova, spokeswoman for the Moscow Regional Court, said the incident took place at a hearing in a case of a gang of nine people who have terrorised Moscow roads, killing more than a dozen of motorists.