Man beaten and shot outside apartment block in Riga's Ziepniekkalns

A man was beaten and shot by several people at the entrance of a nine-storey residential building on Līvciema Street in Riga's Ziepniekkalns neighbourhood, shortly after midnight. The incident was reported by the TV3 programme “Degpunktā”. The wounded man was taken to hospital, while police are continuing their investigation and have not yet given detailed comments.

Eyewitness: young people got out of a car

A woman who watched from her apartment window described the events to the programme. She had been talking with a friend when both heard screeching car tyres and noise, and went to the window.

The witness said several young people got out of a car and began hitting an older man with a broken bottle. One of them then drew a gun and fired, by her account, about three or four times. The attackers drove away.

She said that after the shots the man got up and began walking on his own. Two other people were at the scene. The woman said the sight left her in great shock, and she went to her mother to tell her what she had experienced.

Police work at the scene

Several residents heard the incident, but only a few saw it through their windows. Afterwards, residents posted photos on social media showing police officers collecting evidence. Bullet casings were searched for with a metal detector, and officers questioned residents of several stairwells to find out what they had seen or heard.

Why the man was attacked and who was involved is not yet known. Police are working to establish the circumstances.