_ _ _ 3:30 p.m. russian news agencies are reporting that two people moscow ( reuters ) - three people being taken to trial in a moscow court for robbery and murder were shot dead after they grabbed side - arms from court security officers in an attempt to escape , russian law enforcement officials said on tuesday .
prosecutors said the gang members were injured .
five defendants were in a lift in the moscow regional court building when they seized the weapons from the two officers escorting them , the investigative committee , the state body which handles serious crimes , said in a statement .
five defendants at the moscow courthouse attacked their guards in a bungled ... ( associated press ) moscow ( ap ) — the latest on the shooting at a courthouse in a moscow suburb ( all times local ) : 3:50 p.m. russian officials say three people have been killed and four injured in a shootout at a courthouse in a moscow suburb .
russia 's investigative committee , the country 's chief investigative body , said in a statement on tuesday the incident took place when five handcuffed defendants tried to escape as they were escorted by two guards at the moscow regional court .
the nine men , all from central asia , are charged with 17 murders and two attempted murders .
when the lift stopped on the third floor of the building and the doors opened , three of the defendants tried to escape but were shot dead by russian national guard officers .
russia , official tv channel rossiya 24 said on tuesday , citing a source in law - enforcement bodies .
the two others defendants were seriously wounded , the statement said .