A security guard was hospitalized with a suspected concussion and burns after a 20-year-old man fired a signal pistol inside the “Merkury” shopping center in St. Petersburg. The incident occurred on Savushkina Prospekt the night before, prompting a police response and an ongoing investigation.

The altercation began when two women complained to the security guard that the young man had taken one of their phones. The security guard advised them to call the police, which they did. As the security guard addressed the man about the phone and the approaching closing time, the man allegedly became erratic.

According to the security guard, the man appeared to be impaired, yelled about having a powerful father and being above the law, and started emptying a trash can. When the man ignored requests to stop and leave, the security guard grabbed his hand. The man broke free, stumbled backward, and fell. While sitting, he pulled out a gun and began shooting.

After firing the weapon, the man fled, losing a sneaker in the process. The security guard pursued him, and the man stopped to retrieve his shoe. As he ran past the security guard again, he allegedly pointed the gun directly at the man’s face. Medical personnel later stated that a shot to the eye could have been fatal.

The security guard sustained burns on his arm and face from the shots and is currently hospitalized due to a suspected concussion and a painful temple. Authorities are currently considering whether to open a criminal case.