The killing of football agent Roman Bezzubov could be a commissioned murder linked to the victim’s professional activities, investigators admit, while stressing that the State Police is also investigating other versions.
Not to mention the victim’s identity, the head of the VP Armands Ruks told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that the number and content of the versions put forward by the police would not be disclosed, but the versions about the murder of the order and the victim’s professional activities are being checked.
Ruk revealed that at least three people may have been involved in the murder, who sent bullets from an automatic weapon to Bezzubov, seriously injuring the man from the beginning, but he was able to continue on the road, causing a collision with a criminal car. Later, Bezzubov died.
The chief of the police pointed out that information about the murder was received around 7:50, but already at 8 March a coordinated action by the police was announced, namely, blocking of the district, involving all police officers of the Riga region in the interception of criminals. “Thousands of VP employees are currently working throughout Latvia – many were also called from leave,” said the VP’s chief, emphasizing that the best forensic experts with physical evidence at the disposal of the police are working on the murder investigation.
Ruks emphasized that witnesses have already been interrogated, as well as a large amount of video has been received from video recorders.
He revealed that work is also being done on the version that the killers were not local Latvians, but foreigners. This is not the only version. Ruks confirmed that this murder is not related to the crime committed last week, when masked men on the Stopiņi side used tear gas and robbed a large sum of money.
Ruks said that he was worried about the method of murder, namely using an automatic weapon, and that there were also people in the risk area who could have happened to be murderers by accident. He emphasized that a safe environment should be promoted in Latvia, in which it would not be convenient for murderers to work from the perspective of committing a crime.
He said that a video surveillance network could be one of the most effective preventive methods that would allow crime to be detected more quickly. Ruks emphasized that the murder was committed in a dangerous way for the population, which is also worrying. “In the context of this type of crime, we are also cooperating with the Russian services,” Ruks emphasized.
Ruks did not comment further on whether the car used by the attackers “BMW X5” is the same vehicle that was recently stolen in Limbaži region. The murder investigation verifies all available information, including the car that was advertised.
The Minister of the Interior Sandis Ģirģens (KPV LV) hopes to the State Police and other services that the murder of football agent Roman Bezzubov, which took place in Riga today, as well as other murders, will be discovered in the near future. “This is a top task,” the politician told reporters.
Gergens believes he has done a lot to streamline the home affairs sector and strengthen internal security, but he calls on the government to make internal security a “top priority” because home affairs services need logistical resources and training.
The results of several recent loud murders are not yet known, for example, the murders of lawyers Mārtiņš Bunkus and Pāvels Rebenokas have not been reported. In Girgen’s view, despite some incidents, Latvia as a whole is a safe country.
The minister said that the murder committed today is being thoroughly investigated, and all home affairs services have “responded at a professional level” and followed standard procedures. “I have no doubt that the murder is being investigated with the necessary intensity,” the minister stressed.
It has already been reported that the attack on Bezzubov took place on Wednesday morning in Purvciems when he wanted to leave for Gunāra Astras Street.
The attackers have moved in a black BMW X5 car with tinted rear windows. The car has a damaged right side.
The car may have had its state registration plates changed, including the license plates of the Russian Federation, the State Police said.
A video surveillance camera record held by LETA shows that the attack took about 20 seconds. At the moment, Bezzubova’s “Volkswagen Touareg” wanted to get from the side street to Gunāra Astras Street, the road was blocked by the said “BMW X5”. Shots were fired from the attackers’ car and Bezzubov tried to shake the BMW X5 from the side. After that, both cars left the field of view of the cameras.
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