The Santa Claus Killer: Snapshot of a gunman dressed as Santa Claus posing for a selfie with an unsuspecting shopkeeper before shooting him dead
An elderly gunman dressed as Santa Claus fatally shot a shopkeeper with a gun hidden under his red robe in an alleged act of revenge.
Shop owner Yuriy Surakin, 54, died on the spot after posing for a selfie with the alleged gunman, Valery Vasiliev, 71, in his costume.
As Russia celebrates Orthodox Christmas Eve today, the suspect is accused of concealing the firearm in his disguise as Santa Claus and shooting the local businessman in what is described as an “act of revenge” due to “personal enmity.”
Russian authorities arrested Vasiliev after the fatal shooting and a court has remanded him in custody for two months as a murder investigation has been launched.
The bizarre shooting in the town of Kanash, Chuvashia region, was captured on a security camera.
The fake Santa Claus, commonly known in Russia as Grandfather Frost, walked into the home electronics store in Beryozka and posed for photos with the store owner.
Images show the old man with a long, fake beard and glasses that hide most of his face.
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, Vasiliev had hidden the firearm in his festive red and silver outfit.
Shop owner Yuriy Surakin, 54, pictured left, poses for a selfie with the alleged shooter, Valery Vasiliev, 71, in his suit, pictured right
The local businessman died on the spot after the fake Santa revealed his gun from his disguise
The elderly real estate mogul shot the local businessman in what is described as an ‘act of revenge’ due to ‘personal animosity’
It is believed that Surakin was shot because he was an ex-cop who had previously been responsible for jailing the man
One theory circulating in local media is that Surakin, a former police officer, was behind his attacker being sentenced to prison and that the shooting was an act of revenge.
Father-of-seven Surakin, a grandfather, “previously put the gunman behind bars,” the Bad News channel said.
‘After his release, the man decided to take revenge.’
But this committee is also investigating whether the city owes a debt to his alleged killer.
The suspect – who owns a real estate portfolio – fled after the shooting, but was found in the village of Vutaboshi.
A wanted poster read: “The suspect has a stocky build and is approximately 6 feet tall.
“He was wearing a red Santa suit and white felt boots.
“He had a white beard and transparent glasses.”
According to police, he had been on the run for less than a day.
Previously, wanted images of the alleged murderer had been circulating.
The fake Santa Claus can be seen on store security camera footage wandering around in his costume
Vasiliev wore a long white beard and glasses to hide his face
Russian authorities have arrested Vasiliev after the fatal shooting and a court has remanded him in custody for two months as a murder investigation has been launched
Ex-police officer and father of seven Surakin previously “put the gunman behind bars,” the Bad News channel said.
But this isn’t the first case of a Santa Claus going bad, as shocking footage emerged in 2019 of a fake Santa Claus shooting two guns at the home of the parents of a former Voice of Ireland star.
CCTV captured the man in a red and white suit casually walking down the residential street in west Belfast before firing a clip of six shots at the property.
He then pulled out a second gun with his left hand and fired six more bullets at the home of George Richmond, 59, and his wife Geraldine, 57, before running away.
The couple – whose daughter Georgina, 33, was a finalist on the popular talent show The Voice of Ireland in 2016 – had to flee their home after a wave of suspected IRA attacks.