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AN IRANIAN MUSICIAN opened fire on members of an Iranian rock band in New York, murdering three men and wounding a fourth before killing himself, police said.
Two of the deceased were 27- and 28-year-old brothers who belonged to the Yellow Dogs, an indie group that was formed in 2006 in Tehran and who came to the United States three years ago.
The musicians were found dead in a three-story Brooklyn building where the band lived and rehearsed on Monday.
Police said the shooter was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on the roof next to a rifle shortly after midnight on Maujer Street in East Williamsburg.
A 22-year-old man was rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds in his right arm but is in a stable condition, police said.
Soroush Farazmand, 27, was found dead, shot in the chest on the second floor. His brother Arash Farazmand, 28, and singer Ali Eskandarian, 35, were found shot in the head on the third floor.
Police identified the shooter as 29-year-old Ali Akbar Mohammadi Rafie from Queens, New York. He was not a member of the band.
New York police commissioner Ray Kelly was quoted by local media as saying the shooter appeared to have been an Iranian-American musician, possibly from another band.
Yellow Dogs described itself as a dance-punk-psychedelic band and they perform in English, playing at notable venues on the circuit in New York and providing warm up for other acts.
Fans took to the band’s Facebook page to express shock and grief.
“What the hell! I’m still in shock. Can’t wrap my head around this tragedy,” wrote Faranak Karimpour.
“Horrible what’s happened to you. RIP,” said Roberta Rodriguez.
East Williamsburg is noted for its bohemian artists, middle class families looking, students and recent immigrants.
Background
Three members of the band spoke of the troubles they had faced in Iran and their joy at living in New York on a video interview recorded last year and posted on YouTube.
“We want to travel and play music. That’s actually our passion, I think,” said singer and guitarist known as Obash.
(Video: looloooooooooooo888/YouTube)
They met as teenagers and started playing as a hobby, but feared for their safety after taking part in a 2009 documentary about Iran’s underground music scene that won an award at Cannes.
The Islamic republic considers rock music against Islam.
The band said they used to soundproof their room in Tehran as well as they could but admitted they were lucky not to have been caught during performances for their friends.
“Brooklyn, I feel I fit in perfectly. You don’t feel like a foreigner in New York City at all,” Obash said on the video.
Unable to go back to Iran, they also spoke sadly about how their parents had never seen them play.
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That is the nature of insurance sure
As opposed to the insurance against nature.
These guys sicken me the way they insist on guaranteeing margins for themselves. Imagine a bike rental guy in the Aran Islands insisting on charging all tourists €50 per hour because ‘last year was a rainy summer’. FBD tried to hike mine but I went to Chill. The industry have the public over a barrel with the compulsory nature of their product. Its analogous to me placing a bet with a bookie, losing, and then robbing the place at gunpoint to get my money back. Yet governments around the world are afraid to stop them. Banks have the same ‘risk is not for us to suffer’ attitude.
That is all to do with Governments obsession with Corpocracy – the interest of the consumer always plays seconds fiddle to Corporations – why could shareholders not be told there had been a bad winter and dividend increases are being withheld for once – rather than effectively steal the losses
back off consumers.
They already hiked renewal premiums on my car and home insurance and that is why I’m no longer an FBD customer.
You’re right Jayo….it’s on the consumer’s interest to play insurance companies off one and other….I got my renewal from FBD a few weeks ago, checked around for another quote elsewhere, which in almost ever instance was coming in quite a bit cheaper….rang them back and told them that I didn’t want to move but because it was cheaper with someone else, that I had no other option…..they end up matching the other quotes!! Happy days!!
Pretty sure it’s FBD not FDB as it’s spelled in your headline……
Thanks Craig, that’s fixed now.
No… still FDB. ….
Thanks Brian, it might take a minute to update on all browsers.
They lost €20 million but still made €5.6 million. So how much have they made in the last. 5 years…..?
A lot…..and yet the greedy feckers will still want an increase.
What’s more….they will be allowed.
DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!
5.6 million is not a huge profit for a company that size.
Gangsters…
Sure just ask the government to set up a usc2 to help you out I’m sure they’ll oblige
No Nonsense.ie becomes FU.ie
have your say