The General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia closed an investigation into Temirlan Machalikashvili’s case.

As the Prosecutor’s Office stated, 124 persons were interviewed as witnesses, dozens of investigation and procedural activities were conducted, more than a dozen different types of forensic investigations were carried out within the frameworks of the investigation into this case.

“Temirlan Machalikashvili, family members, neighbors and all 32 employees of the Special Operations Department of the State Security Service (SSS) were questioned.

Investigators as well as all officials of the SSS, who have any information about the planning and carrying out December 26, 2017 special operation. The investigation has established that Temirlan Machalikashvili did not obey the order of a riot police officer to show him his hands and attempted to activate the grenade. Due to this fact, the riot police officer was forced to shoot him.

The hand-grenade was seized during the search of Machalikashvili’s room and his father attended the process, who signed the search protocol and did not have any objection to the hand-grenade.

According to the findings of the January 30, 2018 biological (genetic, serological) examination of the hand-grenade, the reddish-brown spots on it is human blood and the major (major) part of it mixed genetic profiles is identical to Temirlan Machalikashvili’s genetic profile.

Thus, a thorough and comprehensive investigation confirmed that the riot police officer acted in self defence and for protecting others, since the danger was real, imminent. It was also confirmed that neither any member of the special task force unit nor any senior official committed any unlawful or indictable conduct, thus the investigation was closed due to the lack of criminal activities”, - reads the statement of the Prosecutor’s Office.