Man arrested over festive firing death

AMMAN — Police on Thursday arrested a man suspected of shooting and killing another man while celebrating a wedding in Ruseifa District in Zarqa, some 12km east of Amman, on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old victim was hit in the head with a stray bullet that was fired during the wedding, Public Security Department Spokesperson Maj. Amer Sartawi said.

“We arrested the suspect and referred him to the criminal prosecutor for further questioning,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

The victim had been rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died shortly after being admitted, the official said.

In August 2010, the Ministry of Justice announced that festive firing incidents will be handled by the Criminal Court following a call by His Majesty King Abdullah to put an end to festive shooting at social events. 

A total of 106 festive firing cases were recorded between 2007 and 2010, resulting in the deaths of five people and the injury of 57 others.

There are 117,000 licensed weapons of different types in Jordan, according to recent Interior Ministry figures.