Man killed by Aras officers after firing at them with hunting rifle

A 75-year-old man was shot dead by Lithuania’s Aras anti-terrorist unit in Anykščiai district after he fired at officers with what is believed to be a hunting rifle, police said on Sunday.

The incident began in the evening in Sviesteliškis village, where the man, born in 1951, threatened relatives with an illegally held firearm. Police were called to the scene, but the man refused to comply with orders to drop the weapon, prompting the deployment of the Aras tactical unit.

According to Renatas Vitkauskas, head of the Utena County Police Commissariat, the man fired twice in an unspecified direction while waiting for Aras officers to arrive. When they did, he fired directly at them. In response, Aras personnel opened fire, killing the man at the scene.

Vitkauskas confirmed that the man had a history of aggressive behaviour, including prior confrontations with neighbours and family members. Police had been called to address his conduct multiple times before, and a firearm had previously been confiscated from him. The weapon used in this incident was held illegally and is believed to be a hunting rifle, though a full examination will confirm its type.

Officers attempted to negotiate with the man via loudspeaker, urging him to surrender the weapon and leave the building, but he did not comply. A pre-trial investigation has been launched, and further details will be provided at a press conference scheduled for noon on Sunday.

The property where the shooting occurred is in a remote area, with the nearest active residence about 200 metres away. Police remained at the scene on Monday morning, with the area cordoned off.

In a social media statement, police later reiterated that the armed individual had ignored lawful demands and fired at officers, leaving Aras personnel with no alternative but to use lethal force.