MOSCOW, September 16 (RAPSI) – A spirited debate about the work of German idealist Immanuel Kant took a violent turn when a man in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don shot his philosophical adversary in the head with a traumatic pistol, RIA Novosti reported Monday citing a local police source.

According to the police, the suspect was out shopping when he began speaking with the victim.

As explained by the police statement, the two men started to argue about the work and merits of Immanuel Kant. What started as an impassioned dispute quickly erupted into fisticuffs. The suspect then allegedly took out a traumatic pistol and fired several rounds at his opponent before fleeing the scene of the crime.

The police confiscated the traumatic pistol from the detainee. His victim is currently being treated in the hospital, with injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the suspect on charges of intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, which stipulates a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

A traumatic pistol is a weapon intended to be less likely to kill a living target than conventional firearms.