2 dead in Zarqa shooting incident, probe underway

AMMAN — The Criminal Court’s prosecution office on Wednesday said that four people are being questioned in connection with a deadly shooting that left two people dead in the Zarqa Governorate on Tuesday.

The shooting incident occurred at dawn on Tuesday when a 30-year-old man reportedly entered a mosque and “shot a man in his 40s who was praying”, Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

The suspect was immediately restrained by other worshippers and the victim’s family who “beat him up and took him to one of their homes”, Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

“A police force raided the home but found the man shot dead,” according to the police official.

Seven people were arrested, and investigators seized a machinegun from the house, Sartawi added.

A senior judicial source told The Jordan Times on Wednesday that four of the seven suspects remain in custody pending further investigations.

“We are currently questioning the four suspects to learn more about the motive behind the shooting incident,” the senior judicial source said.

The victims’ family members were summoned by the prosecution office for further questioning, the senior judicial source told The Jordan Times.

An autopsy report conducted on the older victim indicated that he “received a bullet to the back of his head”, according to the senior judicial source.

The second victim’s autopsy report will be available for review by the Criminal Court’s prosecution office on Thursday, the senior judicial source added.

Investigators also located a gun that they believe was used in the shooting incident at the mosque, according to the senior judicial source.

“Both the gun and machinegun that was seized at the house where the second victim was found were sent to the criminal lab for further analysis,” a second source said.

Blood and tissue samples taken from both victims were sent to the crime lab for further analysis, the second source told The Jordan Times.