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AN IRANIAN MUSICIAN opened fire on members of an Iranian rock band in New York, murdering three men and wounding a fourth before killing himself, police said.
Two of the deceased were 27- and 28-year-old brothers who belonged to the Yellow Dogs, an indie group that was formed in 2006 in Tehran and who came to the United States three years ago.
The musicians were found dead in a three-story Brooklyn building where the band lived and rehearsed on Monday.
Police said the shooter was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on the roof next to a rifle shortly after midnight on Maujer Street in East Williamsburg.
A 22-year-old man was rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds in his right arm but is in a stable condition, police said.
Soroush Farazmand, 27, was found dead, shot in the chest on the second floor. His brother Arash Farazmand, 28, and singer Ali Eskandarian, 35, were found shot in the head on the third floor.
Police identified the shooter as 29-year-old Ali Akbar Mohammadi Rafie from Queens, New York. He was not a member of the band.
New York police commissioner Ray Kelly was quoted by local media as saying the shooter appeared to have been an Iranian-American musician, possibly from another band.
Yellow Dogs described itself as a dance-punk-psychedelic band and they perform in English, playing at notable venues on the circuit in New York and providing warm up for other acts.
Fans took to the band’s Facebook page to express shock and grief.
“What the hell! I’m still in shock. Can’t wrap my head around this tragedy,” wrote Faranak Karimpour.
“Horrible what’s happened to you. RIP,” said Roberta Rodriguez.
East Williamsburg is noted for its bohemian artists, middle class families looking, students and recent immigrants.
Background
Three members of the band spoke of the troubles they had faced in Iran and their joy at living in New York on a video interview recorded last year and posted on YouTube.
“We want to travel and play music. That’s actually our passion, I think,” said singer and guitarist known as Obash.
(Video: looloooooooooooo888/YouTube)
They met as teenagers and started playing as a hobby, but feared for their safety after taking part in a 2009 documentary about Iran’s underground music scene that won an award at Cannes.
The Islamic republic considers rock music against Islam.
The band said they used to soundproof their room in Tehran as well as they could but admitted they were lucky not to have been caught during performances for their friends.
“Brooklyn, I feel I fit in perfectly. You don’t feel like a foreigner in New York City at all,” Obash said on the video.
Unable to go back to Iran, they also spoke sadly about how their parents had never seen them play.
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Islam is against rock music as it is a form of freedom and expression
How do you know Gary, have you ever been to Iran or do you just believe everything that’s been said in the media about it? I haven’t and I don’t but just a thought for you.
You’re on thejournal, forget about logic. People on here post reactionary comments to the sensationalised headlines they see. Most of the people on here are not open to having an intelligent debate about anything.
I vehemently disagree.
#GoldenArms – Been to Iran many times, great place, lovely people very friendly. There is a morality police there who enforce moral rules. They are essentially volunteers. These same moral militia men were used to oppress the protests after the election in 2009.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basij
http://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2013/jan/23/iran-camera-coffee-shops
http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/women/14487-iran-moral-police-intensify-clampdown-on-improperly-veiled-women
Also the same bunch of craziess who gave this pearl of information. http://www.wnd.com/2012/05/iran-discovery-will-collapse-christianity/
This is all aside from the fact this is a terrible personal tragedy which cuts short young lives. Probably nothing to do with religion.
#goldenarms #jamesconnely – I have been to Iran many times. Great place, nice people, stunning women. Worth a visit if you want to find out for yourself.
While your there look up the Basij, the militamen who inforce the Iranian moral code. These are the ones who hassle women for not wearing veils, suppress students protesting, hassle young couples meeting in cafés, hassle people who they see as different. Oh and of course surpressed the protesters in 2009 and are fighting in Syria alongside government forces at the moment.
Honestly this is a terrible personal tragedy for these young people and their families which has nothing to do with religion. #respectthedead
Its just very sad whatever the background story is but if its to do with religion its absolutely pathetic
The fifth Beatle,( Yellow Dog)??
The 27 club strikes again. Tragic. RIP
Intolerance, hatred and a complete lack of respect for human life strikes again.
Rip guys.
Only one of them was 27.
The BMJ did a study on this in 2011. The ’27 club’ idea is a myth. They did notice that musicians are more likely to die in their 20′s and 30′s though.
The 27 club Is not a myth, it’s just a bunch of famous musicians that died at that age the study does not seem to get the relevant factor that most of the so called 27 club were icons , as for the incident in new York while sad it does not make any difference them to member of the 27 club
It’s a myth in that people seem to believe that famous musicians are MORE likely to die at 27 than at
any other age, whereas that doesn’t seem to be the case if the study above is anything to go by.
I’m always amazed that the readersof the journal are so knowable on every subject you guys are wasted sittibg around in your mams house playing Xbox and sitting in front of the journal commenting all day.
I’m in your mam’s house playing xxx box, baby, yeaaaa!!!!!!!!!
Whooo whoooo honk
Gurgle
Says the guy commenting on the Journal.The word is knowledgable by the way . Good lad.
He’s right Fergal, I need to do more with my life…
No no I think you find the correct spelling is knowable !
The whole ’27 Club’ idea is debunked when you consider how many more famous musicians DONT die aged 27!
If you factor them into the equation its clear that there is no proof that Musician (famous or not) die at 27.
It’s similar to when people say “I thought of a friend and then the phone rang and it was the friend I was thinking about!”.
But what about the times you thought about that friend and the phone didn’t ring?
People love to see supernatural events in the most mundane of things or link events that could in no way be connected. Hokum science at its best.
Do you mean knowledgeable? What the hell is knowable
Google it!
Great job printing random Facebook quotes from unimportant strangers, so relevant and important to the story!
@Tony – There are 8 comments from you over the past 24 hours… and those are only the ones you’ve shared on twitter. Is it warm in your own mam’s house? You shouldn’t bring your high horse indoors though, it’ll poop all over the place.
Knowable / capable of being known .
How sad. 3 energetic young men trying to make a difference in their lives through music and now they are dead. Just doesn’t seem right.
Maybe he wanted to be a solo artist?
Well they certainly became an overnight success La Noche.
Grunge.
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