Dumped musician kills former bandmates

A musician kicked out of a band shot three of his former fellow players dead and wounded a fourth before killing himself in New York.

The man opened fire shortly after midnight with a rifle in a building in Brooklyn.

Police said he had been thrown out of the band, but they were not sure if that prompted the shooting.

The band members were all from Iran but had gone to the United States seeking more musical freedom.

The gunman was found on the roof with a self-inflicted shot to the head, police said. A rifle was found next to the body.

The fourth bandmate was wounded in the arm and has been taken to hospital.

Martin Greenman, 63, who works nearby, said he often saw the band members coming and going with their instruments.

“They seemed really nice, not violent or anything, just your typical guys,” he said. “They never caused any trouble. I see them almost every day, it’s really a shock.”

The group played recent gigs in the New York indie rock scene at venues like the Knitting Factory and Brooklyn Bowl.