Fuel station worker allegedly kills three over disputed gas bill, including bodybuilding champion

ERBIL — A gas station employee in Erbil opened fire and killed three people Tuesday night following a dispute over a 52,000 Iraqi dinar (approximately $37) fuel charge, local police said.

The shooting took place around 8:30 p.m. at a station on Koya Street, according to the Erbil Police Directorate. Authorities said the suspect used a Kalashnikov rifle during the incident and was arrested later that night by the Criminal Investigation Unit.

The altercation began when two young men in an SUV arrived to refuel. Police said some gasoline reportedly spilled on the attendant’s hand during the process. Afterward, the employee informed them the total cost was 52,000 dinars, but the two men contested the amount, sparking a physical confrontation.

“At that point, the gas station employee opened fire,” police said in a statement. The gunfire killed both men in the vehicle as well as a third person who was not involved in the argument.

One of the victims was identified as Hamoudi Riaza, a prominent Iraqi bodybuilding champion known as “The Iraqi Giant.” A second victim, described by authorities as a Kurdish bystander, had no connection to the dispute. The third, an Arab man and friend of Riaza, has not yet been publicly identified.

Police said the suspect was arrested the same night and that the weapon and magazine used in the shooting were recovered at the scene. A court order has been issued against the shooter, and the investigation is ongoing.