Interior Minister: We establishing where suspect in Farion's murder could learn to use weapon
The investigation is establishing where exactly the suspect in the murder of Ukrainian MP of the sixth convocation from the All-Ukrainian Union Svoboda, former teacher of the Lviv Polytechnic University Iryna Farion could have learned to use a weapon. Preliminary, he committed the crime with a converted starting pistol.
"Despite the young age of the suspect, he is well informed, carefully prepared... We see in his phone what sites he visited, what he read, how he prepared," head of the National Police Ivan Vyhovsky said at a briefing in Lviv on Friday.
According to him, the suspect's phone also contains the names of other politicians, there are MPs. "After returning to the city of Dnipro, he looked for someone who might interest him," Vyhovsky added.
"According to the investigation, the murder was committed with a converted pistol," said Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, explaining that the suspect's phone searches included a converted weapon.
The Interior Minister said: "We are establishing the location where he could have hypothetically trained as a marksman."
Vyhovsky specified that the suspect began looking for a starting pistol back in May.
"A 9x18 bullet was found at the crime scene, a sports cartridge case. It is currently undergoing examination... The bullet is specific, not combat grade," said Klymenko.
According to him, the investigation is establishing where the bullet was purchased. "Possibly on the black market," Klymenko added.
Answering the question about where the suspect got the money to rent three apartments and conduct surveillance on Farion, the minister said: "From the messages we have a rough idea where they [the funds] came from. We will probably tell you in a few months, as the investigation proceeds."
According to Klymenko, the suspect hid his lifestyle and intentions from his parents. "His mother leads a normal life, works at one of the educational institutions," the minister said.
Answering the question about whether the suspect had accomplices, the Minister of Internal Affairs noted that this information is being checked together with the SBU.
The investigation also does not currently specify whether the crime was contract killing. Answering the question about whether the suspect is only the perpetrator of the crime, Deputy Prosecutor General Anton Voitenko said: "This version is being worked on. At the present time, it is impossible to answer this question."