Mobster with Long Rap Sheet Identified as Ihtiman Gunman

Bulgaria's special anti-terrorism task force received accolades for arresting a dangerous criminal, file photo

Bulgarian police have identified the man who opened fire at a nightclub in the town of Ihtiman as Yulian Zashev, an individual with a long rap sheet.

The gunfire was reported late Saturday in a nightclub in the center of the town, where Zashev took out a handgun and injured one of the bar's security guards.

He fled, but employees of the bar called police. The man was arrested in the ensuing chase, which is reported to have been like in an action movie.

The police officers from the regional police directorate and from the special anti-terrorism task force in Sofia received accolades at a press briefing by the Chief Secretary of the Interior Ministry, Chief Commissar Svetlozar Ivanov.

When the police cruisers arrived at the bar, they saw Zashev outside and ordered him to put his hands up. He, however, pointed the gun at the policemen, threatened to kill them, and then fled on foot.

The chase ended in a home in the nearby village of Zhivkovo, where the man hid. Ivanov says he has been very aggressive during the arrest and presented a serious threat to police and locals if left at large.

Zashev fired at the policemen several times during the kilometers-long chase. On the orders of the Chief Secretary, the special task force team searched all houses and barns in the village one by one and managed to capture the shooter alive and unharmed.

Ivanov informs Zashev has a long criminal record and has recently been released from jail where he served time for premeditated murder. Other crimes on record included murder attempts, beatings, and participation in organized crime groups dealing the narcotics turf wars.

Zashev remains behind bars pending arraignment.

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