The well-known officer of the Security Police of the SDVR Petko Atanaschikov committed suicide in his home in Sofia. The tragic news was confirmed by the Ministry of Interior after relatives discovered the young man's body in his apartment. The reason for the check by his relatives was that he had stopped answering their phone calls.
According to initial and unofficial information from the investigation, the policeman took his own life with his service weapon. The evening before the incident, Atanaschikov was at work and was involved in the security of the football match for the Bulgarian Super Cup. After the end of his duty, he returned home, where the tragedy later unfolded.
Petko Atanaschikov became an extremely recognizable figure in public after an iconic shot was taken. During the mass protests in Sofia at the end of last year, he was caught on camera climbing against the demonstrators. The photo quickly gained popularity on social networks and caused a wave of polar comments. The policeman himself then explained his behavior with provocation and enormous stress at work, stating that his epaulette was torn off by masked individuals.
The case is currently being investigated by the competent authorities to clarify all the details and the exact motives that led to the fatal end.