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Kyrgyzstan: Checkpoint shooting was murder

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — A U.S. airman who shot dead a Kyrgyz civilian at Manas Air Base had exceeded the limits of self-defense and murdered the man, Kyrgyz authorities said Friday.

“Our investigation has concluded that it clearly was murder through exceeding the limits of self-defense,” said Toktogul Kakchekeyev, a spokesman for the General Prosecutor’s office.

However, he said, the airman could not be charged because of the immunity granted to U.S. troops at Manas, which supports operations in Afghanistan.

The shooting took place in December when truck driver Alexander Ivanov was going through a security check at the entrance to the base.

The U.S. military has said that Ivanov was fired upon after he threatened the U.S. serviceman with a knife. The U.S. investigation of the incident has not been completed yet, according to the U.S. Embassy.