Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
Story highlights
A youth player for Russian club side Anzhi Makhachkala was shot dead Sunday
Gasan Magomedov came under "volley of automatic gunfire" outside parent's home
Dagestan has become focus of Islamist insurgency in recent years
A youth player for Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala was shot dead in Russia’s North Caucasus in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Gasan Magomedov was driving towards his family’s home when his vehicle came under attack from a “volley of automatic gunfire,” according to a statement on the clubs website.
The 20-year-old’s parents heard the gunfire and rushed to discover their wounded son who died on his way to hospital.
The club added that the local police have yet to determine any motives or suspects.
The attack took place in Dagestan, a region of Russia that has recently become the focus of Islamist insurgency. For years, Anzhi’s leading players lived and trained in Moscow and only went to Dagestan for home games.
Anzhi’s general director Sergey Korablev said, “we console with Gasan`s family. I hope the law-enforcement bodies will efficiently detect the murderers, who will receive just punishment.
“Despite of the efforts to destabilize the situation, we`ll keep on living and working for the only purpose – peaceful Dagestan.”
Over recent years, Anzhi competed for the Russian Premier League title and attracted star players like Samuel Eto’o, Willian, and Roberto Carlos.
In 2014, however, the club was relegated to the country’s second tier after billionaire owner Suleman Kerimov withdrew his financial backing and many star players left.