"According to preliminary information, at 12:00 p.m. [09:00 GMT], unidentified gunmen opened fire with assault rifles on a Lada Priora, which was being driven by Timur Mogushkov, a former Special Forces officer from Ingushetia," the investigator said. "Mogushkov died later from bullet wounds."

Mogushkov's son, who was also in the car, was unharmed.

"The area has been cordoned off and an investigative group is working at the scene. A criminal case may be started," he said.

RIA Novosti has been told that the republic's police have started searching for a car, VAZ-2114 model, which the apparent culprits used to escape the scene.