Georgian top officials on Friday offered their condolences to families of the five individuals who were killed on Friday in a deadly shooting in the country’s eastern Kakheti region. 

A retired military fired shots to the people in the city of Sagarejo earlier today from a residential blocks, killing five and injuring another five before commiting suicide. 

A policeman, Otar Gvinashvili, is among the victims, who had reportedly used his body to shield an individual and later died from sustained injuries

"I am deeply saddened by the tragedy.  I express my sincere condolences and sympathy to the family members of the deceased, relatives, colleagues of the hero policeman and the entire Ministry of Internal Affairs. I wish the injured as a result of the attack a speedy recovery," prime minister Irakli Garibashvili wrote. 

President Salome Zourabichvili has offered her condolences to the ministry for the tragic death of “another worthy police officer, who had sacrificed his life to fulfill his professional duty and serve Georgia”. 

Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said “innocent people and a heroic policeman have died, which is very hard to fathom. Together with their families and loved ones, each of us mourns this tragedy”. 

A 49-year-old former soldier, who served in the country’s defence ministry between 2006 and 2021, also participating in NATO-led peace mission in Afghanstan, committed suicide after the police broke into his rented flat.