MOSCOW, Dec. 27 -- Moscow's police and the National Guard are searching for the man who shot dead a security guard at a confectionery factory in the northwest of the capital city on Wednesday, the Russian Interior Ministry said.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement that a security guard at the factory was killed in clashes between the former owner and the current management.

Local media reported that the suspect, Ilya Averyanov, the former owner of the factory, took hostages in the factory building.

But the Interior Ministry denied these reports in a separate statement.

After an inspection of the factory, it was established that the suspect had left the building before a police cordon was set up, the ministry said.

The weapon used by the suspect was seized, it said.

Moscow Prosecutor Vladimir Churikov took control of the situation at the Menshevik confectionery factory, his office said in a statement, which also said that earlier in the day bailiffs came to the factory to collect money from the indebted factory following a ruling by the Moscow Arbitration Court.

Averyanov said that he was the victim of an illegal seizure of his property and of an armed attack, where he had shot one person, and that he intended "to fight to the end," according to a transcript published by Business FM Radio, which managed to reach the suspect via phone.

The Russian Investigative Committee said it had initiated a criminal case.

MOSCOW, Dec. 27 -- Moscow's police and the National Guard are searching for the man who shot dead a security guard at a confectionery factory in the northwest of the capital city on Wednesday, the Russian Interior Ministry said.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement that a security guard at the factory was killed in clashes between the former owner and the current management.

Local media reported that the suspect, Ilya Averyanov, the former owner of the factory, took hostages in the factory building.

But the Interior Ministry denied these reports in a separate statement.

After an inspection of the factory, it was established that the suspect had left the building before a police cordon was set up, the ministry said.

The weapon used by the suspect was seized, it said.

Moscow Prosecutor Vladimir Churikov took control of the situation at the Menshevik confectionery factory, his office said in a statement, which also said that earlier in the day bailiffs came to the factory to collect money from the indebted factory following a ruling by the Moscow Arbitration Court.

Averyanov said that he was the victim of an illegal seizure of his property and of an armed attack, where he had shot one person, and that he intended "to fight to the end," according to a transcript published by Business FM Radio, which managed to reach the suspect via phone.

The Russian Investigative Committee said it had initiated a criminal case.