MOSCOW, October 6 - RAPSI. The court has questioned an expert in the high-profile murder case of a FC Spartak football fan. The expert confirmed that the fan was shot at close range, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) reported from the courtroom today.

"This means the gun was pressed against the man's head," the expert concluded as a result of the ballistic examination.

He added that the gun was directed downward, which means the weapon was above the victim's head and against the parietal region. Therefore, the defendant's testimony conflicts with the expert's conclusions and medical examinations. The defendant earlier said he shot over his shoulder while he was lying on the car hood.

Yegor Sviridov was shot dead on the night of December 6, 2010 in the center of Moscow.

The murder sparked a public outcry. Moscow youth were furious with a later police decision to release several suspects. The incident caused mass riots in the central Moscow in late December.