Two Armenian men have suffered as a result of a showdown between taxi drivers in Moscow.

The incident took place on Tuesday in Solntsevi district of Moscow, MK reports.

According to the information, two brothers, Hrachik and Vardan (the names are changed) work as private taxi drivers. On that day, both brothers were in their car, when a yellow city taxi stopped near them. Two men came out of it and opening the door of the brothers’ Zhiguli, sat on the back seat. Without many words, one of the men took a rubber-bullet handgun from his coat pocket and held it to Hrachik’s head, ordering him to drive to the yard of one of the adjacent houses. Realizing that they have been involved in a showdown with taxi business competitors, Vardan tried to remove the barrel from his brother, but the plotter managed to move the trigger. Consequently, the bullet hit Hrachik directly in his head. Vardan jumped out of the car, being also shot down by the men in his leg and back.

Following this, the criminals ran out of the car and took to their heels.  One of them rushed to his taxi (he left the car by the roadside and absconded after driving 200 meters down the street), whereas his “colleague” ran to the building, where the center of support to the homeless is located. Vardan tried to catch the offender but failed to do this due to the strong pain in his knee. Hrachik has been taken to the intensive care unit, while his brother is in the traumatology unit of a city hospital.  

A criminal case has been launched under Article 213 of the Russian Criminal Code (“Hooliganism”). It has not yet been possible to detain the criminals.