Movie theater shooter sentenced to 17 years in prison

RIGA – On May 22, the Riga Regional Court sentenced lawyer Nikolajs Zikovs to 17 years in prison, property confiscation and three years of probation for murdering noted banker Aigars Egle in the "Citadele" movie theater in February 2011.

Prosecutor Jekaterina Kusakova previously requested the court to sentence Zikovs to 17 years in jail, property confiscation and two years of probation. He pleaded not guilty.

Kusakova requested to bring Zikovs to justice according to the Criminal Law's Section 117, Part 3 - murder that endangers the lives of more than one person.

As reported, Zikovs shot and killed the head of Citadele Bank's Department of Assets and Liabilities Aigars Egle in Riga's Forum Cinemas multiplex on February 19, 2011.

Egle was a father of four children. He was slain in front of his daughter after he reproached the assailant for his loud behavior in the theater.

According to eyewitnesses, during the movie "Black Swan," Zikovs was loudly eating popcorn and commenting on the movie, and not reacting to other audience members' objections.

Egle and Zikovs began arguing as they got up to exit after the movie was over. Zikovs then pulled out a gun and fired several shots at Egle, killing him. Fellow audience members caught Zikovs as he was trying to flee; he was later handed over to State Police.