Dashcam shows moment two police officers were gunned down Islamists in Astrakhan

A manhunt is underway in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan after two police officers were shot dead in the early hours of Tuesday morning, in an attack allegedly carried out by radical Islamists. Dash cam footage captured the moment the police officers came under attack.

According to local reports, a Lieutenant and a senior Lieutenant were responding to a call about a traffic accident in the Leninsky district of the city, when they were shot several times at approximately 00:27 local time) (21:27 GMT).

The attackers then stole the officers’ firearms and fled the scene, in a vehicle that was later discovered ten kilometres outside the city.

The Astrakhan governor’s press office has been quoted as saying that radical Islamists were responsible for the attack.

Astrakhan law enforcement authorities are working in cooperation with the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the region. They are looking for eight people in connection with the attack and currently have four suspects under investigation.

A driving license belonging to one of the suspects was reportedly found in the hands of one of the dead police officers.

The Russian Investigative Committee has launched criminal proceedings relating to the deaths of the policemen, theft of firearms and illegal possession of firearms.