Ali Ahkbar Mohammadi Rafie, 29, of Ridgewood, Queens has been named by the NYPD as the man responsible for the shocking murder suicide that occurred in Brooklyn, New York, reports DNA Info. The heinous attack occurred at around midnight on November 11 and has ripped through the heart of Williamsburg’s indie-music community.
Three members of the Iranian immigrant band The Yellow Dogs, were murdered in their apartment by Ali Ahkbar Mohammdi Rafie, who then went to the roof of their apartment building and killed himself. Reports indicate that Rafie accessed The Dogs’ apartment via their fire escape, he’d ran across rooftops to get to the building, located on 318 Maujer St. in East Williamsburg. His first victim was 35-year-old musician and artist, Ali Eskandarian, who was shot in the head in the living room. He moved on to hunt, Arash Farazmand, 28, the band’s drummer, as he lay in bed. Rafie shot him “execution style.” The sick musician proceeded downstairs to the room of Arash’s brother, Soroush Farazmand, the band’s guitarist, shooting him in the chest. Then he encountered one of the band’s room mates, 22-year-old, Sasan Sadeghpourosko, who he shot in the arm twice, the band’s friend was discharged from Elmhurst Hospital on November 11 and is expected to fine. Coming to end of his evil rampage, Rafie also fired two potshots at the bathroom where two members of the US Coast Guard, who were also friend’s of the band, were hiding. The two Coast Guard servicemen were in town for the 2013 Veterans Day parade, neither were wounded.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Was Not a Former Member of The Yellow Dogs
The Free Keys in concert. (Facebook)
Contrary to earlier media reports, Rafie was not at one time a member of The Yellow Dogs. He performed in a band known as the Free Keys but at the time of the shooting was no longer a member, reports The New York Times.
Rafie is reported by The New York Post to have been a bass player.
2. He is Also an Iranian Immigrant
Just like The Yellow Dogs, Rafie is originally from Iran. He now lives in Ridgewood, Queens.
3. He Had a Long Standing Feud with The Yellow Dogs
The horrifying murders that occurred on November 11 are reported to have been the coming to an head of a long-standing feud between Rafie and The Yellow Dogs. It had originally been reported that Rafie had stolen equipment from The Yellow Dogs. A rep for the slain band, Ashley Ayers, told The New York Post, that the feud between the band and Rafie was a “really petty conflict,” and that:
Their manager told me the conflict they had was really minor and that it happened like a year ago. They hadn’t been in contact with the shooter for quite some time. He never threatened them or had any contact with them since. They had been friends, they had mutual acquaintances.
4. According to his Facebook Page, He Was an Aspiring Cartoonist
Rafie’s Facebook page is filled with some of his original art as well as other famous cartoons:
(Facebook)
This image was accmomponied with lines from the Radiohead song, “Motion Picture,” that read:
Red wine and sleeping pills
Help me get back to your arms
Cheap sex and sad films
Help me get where I belong
5. The Gun Used in the Attack Was Bought in 2006
Police say that the gun used to kill Sourosh Farazmand, Arash Farazmand, Ali Eskandarian, was bought in upstate New York in 2006, according to The New York Post. The used in the attack was a Century International Arms .308-caliber rifle.