London: Three defendants have been killed in a court in the Russian capital, Moscow, after they tried to take the arms from security officers, officials say, reports BBC.

The incident happened as five suspects attacked the agents who were escorting them in a lift to a court hearing, the Interior Ministry said.

The suspects were killed when trying to escape. The two other suspects and three security officers were wounded.

The building was briefly evacuated. The defendants were on trial for "banditry", the ministry said in a statement without identifying them.

But state-owned Tass news agency reported that they were accused of being part of the GTA Gang, a group of Central Asian nationals suspected of killing 17 motorists in the Moscow area between 2012 and 2014.

A Russian National Guard member sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to hospital, the ministry said in a statement. Two police officers sustained various injuries.