July 10, 2004
From the desk of Mindles H. Dreck:Gunned Down
I opened the paper today to find that an old classmate has been shot to death:
MOSCOW (AP) -- An American journalist who launched Forbes Magazine's Russian edition and gained attention for publishing a list of Russia's wealthiest people was shot and killed outside his office in Moscow.Paul Klebnikov, a 41-year-old of Russian descent, was hit four times and died in a rescue vehicle, Russian news reports said. The radio station Ekho Moskvy said shells of two different caliber were found at the scene, indicating at least two assailants.
That's a shame. Although I didn't keep up with Paul, I enjoyed him when I knew him.
UPDATE: Well now that's just weird. Opening to Paul's yearbook page I find Julian Benello on the facing page. Julian died on Pan Am 103.
Posted by Mindles H. Dreck at July 10, 2004 8:28 AM | TrackBack | Technorati inbound linksSorry about the news a old buddy of mine was killed in Iraq-I can related.
Not I think a classmate although the ages are about right: but certainly a fellow alumni of the LSE. Shitty thing to happen.
In the years I worked out in Moscow only one westerner got shot: Paul Tatum. The violence seemed to stay in the Mafia/ Russian Banker area. He must have really really annoyed someone for them to take out a western journalist.
The weirdness grows. I just got back from the gym, looked at this post, opened up the window with the Flight 103 information, and discovered that in driving to one of the gyms I frequent I drive right past Benello's old apartment building. I find it sort of creepy, so excuse me if I go and do something to de-weird-out myself. Perhaps listen to some Mozart.
Iim W.: yes indeed. Speaking a priori, Paul's killing would be a most unlikely thing to happen in Moscow. How sad.
At least we can claim to know why Paul Tatum was killed and who the actual murderer was. Something tells me he will meet a similar end some day.
I knew him too. We went to St. Bernard's School in NYC up to 8th grade, finishing up in 1977(?). I was driving to a meeting when the local NPR affiliate broke the story. It's a shocking sensation to hear the name of an old classmate as the victim of a gangland assassination.
My condolences to the family.
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