On October 29, 1999, together with other journalists he was covering a large refugee convoy from Grozny to Nazran in neighboring Ingushetia en route along the Baku-Rostovhighway. As the convoy approached the Chechen town of Shami-Yurt, a Russian fighter bomber fired several air-to-ground missiles, hitting a busload of refugees. Despite warnings from colleagues traveling with them, Mezhidov and Gigayev left their vehicle to film the carnage. As they approached the bus, another Russian rocket hit a nearby truck, fatally wounding both journalists.[2] The Russian air forcepilot reportedly saw Mezhidov with a television camera on the aircraft's second run and fired at him.[3] It is unclear whether the pilot believed his camera to be a weapon or was trying to prevent him from filming. Mezhidov was not killed immediately but mortally wounded and left on the road. He was eventually taken to hospital in Urus-Martan where he died from shock and blood loss.