Sofia Police Dissipates Ridicule of 'Amateur' Mob Shootout

Ivanov is pictured here lying helpless on the floor inside Sofia courthouse after he was shot and seriously wounded in broad daylight while going to its entrance. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

The man who shot and critically injured Bulgarian mobster Baretata has been a professional killer and sharpshooter, according to an insider police source.

Crime boss, Zlatomir Ivanov aka Baretata (The Beret, The Barret) was shot Tuesday in broad daylight in the vicinity of the main courtroom building in the Bulgarian capital as he was going there for an appeals hearing in an illegal drugs distribution case against him.

The source, quoted by Darik radio Thursday, says the attacker has faced a number of difficulties in the shooting such as displacement and long distance between him and the target. He was also aware that Baretata has been wearing a bulletproof vest and this is why he aimed at the legs and the abdomen knowing such wounds cause massive blood loss.

The killer further had a very short window of opportunity and had to identify the target from afar among his bodyguards who were wearing similar clothing.

The attack has been professionally planned and organized and the shooter has come to the apartment several times prior to it, according to the same source, dissipating initial ridicule the attackers were amateurs for just wounding Baretata in the leg.

Darik further reports that a security camera had taped the attack.

Baretata is in the central life-support ward of the emergency Pirogov hospital on respiratory apparatus and on cardiac medications. He is still in critical condition.

A bodyguard, who returned fire, was also shot in the leg. He is in stable condition.

The shots came from a rooftop apartment of a building across the street from the court. The assailants allegedly set the apartment on fire to cover up tracks.

Police found inside the premises a Kalashnikov machinegun.

Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, announced Thursday that money disputes and illegal drugs turf wars could be behind the attack.

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