Moment assassin disguised as Santa poses for selfie with unsuspecting target – before pulling out gun and opening fire
Moment assassin disguised as Santa poses for selfie with unsuspecting target – before pulling out gun and opening fire
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THIS is the shocking moment a man dressed as Santa shot and killed the police officer who jailed him in a revenge assassination, according to reports. Yuriy Surakin, 54, was shot moments after posing for a selfie with the alleged gunman. Although working as a shopkeeper, reports say Yuriy was a former police officer and had been responsible for jailing the man dressed as Russian Father Christmas - commonly known as Grandfather Frost.
![[The selfie the victim took with his soon-to-be assassin moments before the shooting]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/d4e24763-da10-407a-9eab-613f42e3531a.jpg?strip=all&w=786)
The Russian Investigative Committee said it was exploring the possibility the murder was linked to “the victim's debt to the suspect”, and called it an "act of revenge". The shooting in Kanash town in the Chuvashia region, south-west Russia, came ahead of Orthodox Christmas Day on Tuesday January 7.
![[Yuriy Surakin, 54, was killed in the shooting attack]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/russian-man-dressed-santa-accused-961270368.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
CCTV shows the fake Santa entering Beryozka household electrical goods store. He had the firearm hidden under his red outfit, according to investigators. The shopkeeper can be seen holding his phone up to snap a selfie with the man. The selfies taken of the victim and murderer were later found on Yuriy's phone.
![[The moment the attacker, circled, shoots Yuriy at point-blank range]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cad45bff-91b4-4337-8f2b-bd5ce27e7f3a_e7b5bd.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The suspect then turns away, as if browsing the items on sale whilst the shopkeeper walks back to his counter. Then the suspect walks over to the desk and shoots the unsuspecting man at point-blank range. He immediately exits the store holding a long object, said to be the gun.
![[Yuriy, left, can be seen taking a selfie with the man dressed in a full Santa outfit]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/russian-man-dressed-santa-accused-961943645.png?strip=all&w=960)
