In an attempted homicide, a Brighton man shot another man then turned the gun on himself inside the Allston CVS at 1266 Commonwealth Avenue Thursday morning; the victim was listed in critical condition as of late last night.
According to Boston Police Captain William Evans, Leo Chernov, 45, followed Vladamir Frolov, 37, into the back of the CVS and shot him with a small caliber handgun three to four times in the chest before shooting himself at approximately 8:50 yesterday morning.
Chernov reportedly knew his victim, the Boston Police said.
Chernov was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, while Frolov remained in critical condition at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
The details of the attempted homicide are currently under investigation, but police said they believe the incident was domestically related, possibly motivated by a relationship with a woman, according to Boston police spokesperson Mariellen Burns.
“We believe the men knew each other through some sort of former dating relationship,” Evans said.
The store remained closed until approximately 6:15 Thursday evening when it reopened to the public. Customers were allowed in, but aisles 15 A and B remained blocked off where squares of carpet had been torn up.
Though CVS employees declined to comment, a statement released said no employees were harmed and those who were working in the store of the time are being provided with trauma counseling. The employees were taken to police headquarters for questioning immediately following the incident.
CVS employee Matt Clark said he hadn’t heard anything about the homicide when he arrived for work at noon on Thursday.
“This was supposed to be my first official day of work,” said Clark, 23, of Allston. “I’m glad no employees were hurt. It just seems like a weird place to do that.”
Boston University student Katie Erwin, of 1284 Commonwealth Ave., said she could see the commotion from a room in her apartment.
“I was going to buy cigarettes and I saw all the police tape up and one police officer walking around,” said Erwin, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “Ten minutes later there were five ambulances and police everywhere. [My roommate] kept saying it was a shoot-out, but I didn’t believe her. It was creepy.”
CAS senior and realtor Elizabeth Churchill of Chester Street said she was showing a prospective tenant an apartment that afternoon before she heard of the news.
“They asked me if it was a safe neighborhood,” Churchill said. “I said that it was since it’s mainly college students and there are never any shootings or anything. It’s really scary.”
Although the victim was listed in critical condition as of Friday morning, the Boston Police Homicide Unit is currently investigating the incident.
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