A Bulgarian businessman was shot dead in broad daylight in a suburb of Sofia

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Police say a prominent Bulgarian businessman whose rollercoaster career reflected his country’s transition from communism to democracy was shot dead in broad daylight on Wednesday. Alexey Petrov died on the spot after being shot by persons unknown around noon in a suburb of the capital, Sofia. A woman who was with him was injured and was taken to an emergency hospital with a gunshot wound. Petrov was the target of at least two other attempts on his life. During the 1990s, killings of public figures were a common occurrence in Bulgaria, but the new outburst of violence has shocked the country.