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CNN Saturday Morning News

Ukrainian Community is Relieved After Soltys Arrest

Aired September 01, 2001 - 07:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: In Sacramento, a sigh of relief, especially in the Ukrainian community, as the result of the arrest of a mass murderer.

CNN's Thelma Gutierrez has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For 10 days, Nikolay Soltys inspired terror in the Ukrainian community outside of Sacramento. Today he is behind bars in the county jail. And for the first time in more than a week since the bloody rampage in this neighborhood, children play outdoors once again, and mothers stroll with their babies.

But for Lubov Kukharskiya, life will never be the same.

LUBOV KUKHARSKIYA, VICTIM'S MOTHER: Every time he was very happy.

GUTIERREZ: Lubov's 9-year-old son, Dimitriy, is one of six victims who police say were viciously killed by Nikolay Soltys. Nikolay was Dimitriy's cousin.

(on camera): Was Dimitriy close to Nikolay?

KUKHARSKIYA: Yes. He loved Nikolay.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Outside Lubov's home, on the very driveway where Soltys allegedly slashed the throats of his two young cousins, Dimitriy and Tatyana, neighbors placed balloons, stuffed animals, and flowers, a makeshift memorial to the victims.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nothing like this has (inaudible).

GUTIERREZ: People in this neighborhood say they lived in fear before Soltys was arrested. Now, they say, they feel safe, that now they can begin to heal.

REV. VALENTIN KHALINOVSHY, SLAVIC MISSIONARY CHURCH: Now we can go on, do our regular things, and our kids not scared any more. They could play outside in playgrounds.

BRAD BYRD, NEIGHBOR: You see people out on the streets walking by and passing by, and it's just a comfort and a solace that judgment is apparently taking its course.

GUTIERREZ: For Lubov, the nightmare will never end. But she says she moves on because she must. She has two other children, 11- year-old Oksana (ph) and 1-month-old David.

KUKHARSKIYA: It's a monkey, it's Dimitriy's favorite.

(CROSSTALK)

KUKHARSKIYA: He sleeps with monkey every time.

GUTIERREZ: Lubov shows us Dimitriy's favorite toys.

(on camera): When you pick up his toys, do you think of him, do you think of...

KUKHARSKIYA: Oh, yes. I cry also.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): She says now, all she has left of Dimitriy are his toys.

Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Sacramento.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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