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3 clusters · 6 sources · 0 days · First seen · Last updated

Categories: CRIME

Latvian police officer homicide

Entities: Normunds Vamzis · Priekule · Unnamed police officer (off‑duty, intoxicated) · Jānis Dombrāvs · Andis Silnieks

Overview

On 26 July 2026, during the Priekule town festival in Latvia, an off‑duty, intoxicated junior State Police inspector struck 41‑year‑old Normunds Vamzis, a teacher who headed the fashion‑design programme at the Liepāja Music, Arts and Design School. Despite ambulance assistance, Vamzis died at the scene.

The inspector, later identified as Andis Silnieks, was arrested at the festival and placed in pre‑trial custody. The Internal Security Bureau opened a criminal investigation under Article 125(3) of the Criminal Code for causing grievous bodily harm leading to death. Interior Minister Jānis Dombrāvs, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, and Police Chief Armands Ruks all pledged an objective probe and expressed condolences to the victim’s family. Silnieks, who had served since September 2022 with no prior disciplinary record, was reported to have been heavily intoxicated at the time.

The regional court in Liepāja is considering a detention measure for the suspect.

Timeline

  1. 1 day ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Latvian Police Officer Charged after Fatal Assault in Priekule

    Police inspector Andis Silnieks was detained after fatally assaulting teacher Normunds Vamzis in Priekule, Latvia; an IDB investigation cites grave bodily injury resulting in death.

  2. 1 day ago

    [CRIME] 5 sources
    Latvian police officer kills man at Priekule festival

    A drunk police inspector killed a teacher during Priekule's festival on 26 July; he was arrested, a criminal case opened, and ministers called for reforms.

  3. 1 day ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Teacher Normunds Vamzis of Liepāja Music, Arts and Design School Killed at Priekule Festival

    Normunds Vamzis, a teacher at Liepāja Music, Arts and Design School, died after a violent incident at the Priekule festival; an intoxicated police officer was arrested and a criminal case opened.

Sources

apollo.lv · bnn.lv · jauns.lv · klik.tvnet.lv · nra.lv · rekurzeme.lv

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history