No passenger was hurt in the armed attack at the Chisinau International Airport which resulted in the death of a border police officer and a aviation security officer. The culprit, who is a citizen of Tajikistan, is the only person hurt. When he appeared at the checkpoint of the airport in Chisinau, there was no information on Interpol and Europol websites about the fact that he is wanted. He was banned entry into Moldova for security reasons. The man could not clearly say why he came to Moldova and for how long and this aroused the border police officers’ suspicion. After the attack, it became known that he was wanted for an offense committed in Tajikistan, when counterparts in this county were contacted, the head of the General Police Inspectorate Viorel Cernăuțeanu told a news conference.
According to him, the suspect landed in Moldova at 2:48pm by an Istanbul-Chisinau flight. The papers of passengers started to be checked at about 3:10pm. The attacker approached the checkpoint at 3:21pm. After he was told that he is banned entry, the man was isolated. After almost two hours, when he was being escorted for being sent back to the country from which he came, he suddenly hit the police officer and grabbed his gun. The security agent who wanted to help his mate was also shot dead.
Viorel Cernăuțeanu said that the first police team that was close to the airport arrived at 5:15pm. The passengers were being evacuated while the police tried to negotiate with the attacker. After it was clear that there were no children in the room in which the man barricaded himself and that the two persons were dead, a siege was launched. The attacker was hurt during an exchange of fires. There are no other persons hurt.
Acting Prosecutor General Ion Munteanu said the Tajikistani citizen is athletically built, but there is no information about his affiliation to any military group. Legal action was taken over murder in aggravating circumstances, not over a terrorist attack, as it was rumored. The individual was admitted to the hospital where he is being guarded. He is now unconscious. As the offense was committed in Moldova, the attacker will be tried in Moldova. The man faces life imprisonment.
