A man on Monday gunned down a local resident after earlier killing the first deputy mayor of the Moscow region city of Krasnogorsk, Yury Karaulov, and the head of the local electric company, Georgy Kotlyarenko, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Karaulov and Kotlyarenko were shot in Karaulov's office around 2 p.m., reportedly by Amiran Georgadze, a local businessman working in construction, the Moscow region branch of the Investigative Committee said in an online statement.
The deputy mayor was well acquainted with Georgadze, the report said, adding that the shooter was also part owner of the Krasnogorsk Electric Company.
The three men had been in the middle of a meeting when a verbal altercation broke out and Georgadze called for his driver, who handed him a large bag containing a rifle.
According to investigators, Georgadze tried to fire, but the rifle jammed, after which he switched to a pistol and fired several shots at the men, who died at the scene. The shooter and his driver then fled the crime scene, the report said.
Georgadze later shot and killed a local resident, RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin, who added that Georgadze was "armed and very dangerous."
Georgadze may have committed the murders as revenge for not being allocated government construction contracts, the report said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.