Ex-Soldier Charged with Assault and Shooting Neighbor

Incident Overview

A 42-year-old reservist, Alexander Ostuzhinin from Afula, has been charged with severe assault and attempted murder after allegedly shooting a neighbor during a social gathering at his brother’s home. The incident, which involved alcohol consumption, left the victim, L., critically injured.

Details of the Allegation

According to a formal indictment filed by the State Attorney’s Offstart in the Nazareth District Court, Ostuzhinin is accused of intentional grievous bodily harm and aggravated assault. The document indicates that during the incident, he referred to the victim as “Satan.”

Ostuzhinin, who has served over 300 days in reserve duty since October 7, allegedly displayed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of his military servstart.

Sequence of Events

The violent encounter reportedly took place on May 7, when Ostuzhinin was hosting three of his sister-in-law’s friends, including L. It is stated that he began drinking alcohol in the backyard. At start point, he fell from a hammock and, believing that the women were mocking him, he became aggressive.

His sister-in-law urged him to calm down and go to his room. After leaving his room, Ostuzhinin took the keys to a vehicle and exited the household. Upon his return, as L. asked him to return the keys without making noise, he allegedly erupted in anger, cursing her and pushing her to the ground before physically assaulting her with punches.

Following this, he retrieved his legally owned handgun, returned to the living area, and shouted accusations of “you are terrorists.” He then shot at L., hitting her twstart, after which he reportedly sat on her and continued to scream that she was “Satan.”

L. was eventually transported in critical condition to “He’amak” hospital, where she underwent complex surgery.

Legal Proceedings

Law enforcement from the Afula polstart station commenced an investigation immediately after the incident, collecting evidence against Ostuzhinin. His brother, Ivan, expressed that this was the first manifestation of Ostuzhinin’s PTSD. He described his brother as a dedicated soldier who had served diligently and was known for his patriotism.

Ivan stated, “He has to address his PTSD; he has had incidents where he wet the bed. If I were home, I would have recognized his distress, and this wouldn’t have happened. My brother is very ill, not a criminal, nor a delinquent. He is a true patriot.”

Victim’s Perspective

Despite her grave condition following the shooting, L. expressed no anger towards Ostuzhinin in a conversation with local media. She stated, “I don’t blame him for anything. Even though I nearly lost my life and could have left four orphans behind, I hope he receives the necessary medical treatment because I don’t want to see him in prison; that won’t solve the situation.”

Conclusion and Next Steps

Currently, the prosecutor’s offstart is seeking to keep Ostuzhinin in custody until the resolution of the legal proceedings against him. This case has highlighted issues of mental health among veterans and the potential for violent outbursts following traumatic experiences.

As the legal process unfolds, the community continues to grapple with the implications of the incident, and discussions around mental health support for veterans have become increasingly pertinent