Bio

Timur Maratovich Bekmansurov was born on 8 March 2003 in Glazov, Russia. His mother worked as an accountant. His father worked in the police and later served in the military on a contract basis, taking part in conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan. The father left the family in 2009 after a divorce.

After the divorce, Timur and his mother moved to Perm. There he enrolled in a local school. A former teacher said he was intelligent and helped others when asked. The same teacher also said he expressed admiration for Hitler and supported his views.

Classmates and testimony later said Timur did not develop close relationships with peers and was ridiculed in the first grade. He applied to several universities, including the Higher School of Economics and Perm State Humanitarian Pedagogical University. He chose to study law at Perm State University and had a focus on forensics.

Timur said he began using snus at age 13 and used it daily. He also said he started using psychedelic drugs at about age 14. He admitted to using ecstasy in May 2021. In psychiatric examinations, he was diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder and was declared sane. In testimony, he described having suicidal and paranoid thoughts, tinnitus, and episodes of uncontrollable anger. He told court that he had broken up with his girlfriend because he feared he might harm her.

Murder Story

On 20 September 2021, a mass shooting took place at Perm State University in Perm, Russia. Six people were killed and 47 others were injured. The attacker was identified as 18-year-old Timur Bekmansurov. He was arrested after being critically wounded by police.

The shooting began in the late morning. Bekmansurov left his residence, took a taxi, and arrived near the university. He was carrying a pump-action shotgun, ammunition, a helmet, and a knife. He wore a shirt that read "No Mercy" and a face mask. He fired shots at vehicles and people near the campus entrance before entering university buildings.

Bekmansurov entered building 8 and then moved between buildings 8 and 6. He fired inside corridors and at people trying to escape. He carried bandoliers of shotgun rounds and fired a total of thirty-seven shots. Students and teachers used furniture to barricade doors and some escaped through windows. Video showed people fleeing and hiding while police moved toward the scene.

Six people died in the attack. They were Yaroslav Aramelev (19), Margarita Engaus (66), Ksenia Samchenko (18), Ekaterina Shakirova (19), Anna Aigeldina (24), and Alexandra Mokhova (20). Forty-seven others were injured, and 23 of them were wounded by gunfire.

Police officer Konstantin Kalinin confronted Bekmansurov on the first floor of building 6. Bekmansurov fired at the officer and missed. Kalinin then shot Bekmansurov several times, which led to the attacker collapsing. Kalinin removed the shotgun and began giving first aid. Bekmansurov was taken to a hospital and later required a partial amputation of his left leg.

Bekmansurov posted images and messages online before and during the attack. He later said he was not a member of an extremist group and that he acted alone. A psychiatric examination diagnosed him with schizoid personality disorder, but he was found sane at the time of the crime. He admitted his guilt in court. On 28 December 2022, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed in 2024 and the verdict was upheld. As of 2025, he is serving an initial term in Chelyabinsk Oblast before likely transfer to a penal colony for life prisoners.

After the shooting, people left flowers, candles, and photos at a makeshift memorial on the university fence. A chapel and an Orthodox cross were later placed on university grounds, and the chapel was opened in 2024. Some students and staff opposed the construction and the memorials.