There are questions but no answers as of yet regarding an early May shooting that involved a member of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and a native of Chechnya.
What is certain is that on May 3, Ramzan Daraev, 35, of Chicago was killed in Moore County, North Carolina, after a trespasser was reported, according to WNCN-TV.
The shooter is part of Army Special Operations Command, according to Army representative Jacqueline Hill, although his name and rank are not being disclosed.
Daraev was shot multiple times and was found on private property near a power line. He is alleged to have been a subcontractor with New Jersey-based Utilities One.
However, the Moore County Sheriff’s Office said Daraev had no utility equipment, utility clothing or identification on him when he was killed.
Agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and FBI are all involved.
“Investigators are diligently working to gather all relevant information prior to concluding the investigation, including autopsy reports and findings from the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office,” a news release from the Moore County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Once all facts have been collected and reviewed, the case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for a determination on whether criminal charges will be pursued. The Moore County Sheriff’s Office is committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation,” the statement said.
The shooting took place at about 8:15 p.m. in Carthage, according to the Fayetteville Observer.
The Observer said the alleged shooter is stationed at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command had no comment on the incident.
“Per policy, we do not comment on active investigations to protect the process’ integrity. We appreciate the dedication of the Moore County Sheriff’s Department as they investigate,” the USASOC statement said.
Did a stateside kill of a Russian asset just slide by under the radar?
The headlines say that a Spec Ops soldier is under investigation for shooting and killing a utility worker “from Chicago, Illinois”
Except that “utility worker” was 35-year-old Ramzan Daraev, a Chechen… pic.twitter.com/A31kd6kA7v
— Arynne Wexler (@ArynneWexler) May 23, 2024
There was comment by way of an accusatory Change.org petition that said the victim was a native of Chechnya and was “killed in cold blood.”
“Ramzan was not armed and did not show any aggression towards the killer,” the petition said.
“We are Ramzan’s family, we ask you to support this petition so that the culprit in Ramzan’s death receives the deserved punishment. The police, after a short interview with the killer, released the killer home,” the petition said.
The petition said the victim was hit four times. “One of the bullets hit the hand, two in his back and one, which we see as ‘the last one’ was made in the face,” the petition claimed.
