One of the shooters who opened fire at Armenians in Russia’s city of Salavat is a local Bashkiria-born Azeri, Arkadi Dalaryan, Chairman of the Bashkirian Regional Department of the Union of Armenians of Russia, told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

According to him, at the moment two of the shooters have been detained. “There are eight suspects, two of whom were immediate shooters, while the others are in hiding. The law enforcement authorities know who they are. The case is dealt with both at the level of republican leadership and the law enforcement authorities. The situation is under control,” Arkadi Dalaryan said. In his words, the most important task now is to help the victims who are in a critical condition.

Dalaryan said that on Wednesday evening the Armenian guys were pushing a car, when the shooters decided to video record all this, which offended the boys and gave rise to the conflict. “Those who were recording had non-lethal weapons, from which they fired two shots at the face of late Arthur Sargsyan. A scuffle ensued, following which, however, the participants scattered. The Armenian guys went to their auto service, and shortly the same people came and checked their presence there, following which they entered in masks and started firing everyone,” Dalaryan said, adding that an investigation is underway now.  

The criminal “drama” occurred in Salavat, Russia in the night of Thursday.  A group of masked men came to an auto service, fired at seven Armenians. The owner of the auto service, Arthur Sargsyan, died in the central city hospital of Slavat.

The victims are A. Sargsyan, A. Voskanyan, T. Voskanyan, S. Grigoryan, M. Malomyan (in intensive care unit), A. Avetyan (in intensive care unit), and A. Akulyan (in intensive care unit).