Two cops killed in armed attack in Southern Russia (VIDEO)

A close-quarters firefight in Dagestan left two police officers injured

A group of assailants has attacked a police patrol car in Makhachkala, the capital of Russia’s Dagestan Republic, killing at least three people, local authorities said on Monday.

Two suspects were involved in the attack, with both of them “neutralized” by the police, the regional Interior Ministry said. While preliminary information indicated two other people were involved and fled the scene in a stolen police vehicle, that report has proven to be untrue, the ministry said. Both suspects were killed during the attack, TASS reported, citing the ministry.

While the local authorities initially said three officers were killed, they revised the figure later in the day, stating two officers had been killed and two others wounded.

Footage circulating online shows a police SUV with a uniformed officer lying motionless on the ground by the vehicle. A man armed with a large knife is seen inspecting the car, while another person in civilian clothing, presumably one of the attackers, is seen lying on the ground and taking aim with a shortened AK-pattern rifle. A wounded police officer can be seen trying to take cover in the background.

The knife-wielding attacker appeared to try to finish off the wounded officer, with the two ending up in melee, another video suggests. The officer overpowered his assailant, evidently killing him with his own weapon. Extremely graphic imagery circulating online shows the attacker in a pool of blood, with multiple gaping knife wounds visible.

At least seven people have been hospitalized following the incident, including at least two civilians, the local health ministry has said. It also said at least two suspects were among the wounded receiving treatment, with another three apparently in police custody. One victim has succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, according to the ministry.

The health authority revised the tally later in the day, stating that five people, including three civilians, were wounded in the attack. Three people have been confirmed dead.

The Russian Investigative Committee said it has launched a criminal investigation. The suspects face charges of attempted murder of law enforcement officers, hijacking, and stealing weaponry.