Three suspects ‘confess’ to killing police officers

AMMAN – The Public Security Department (PSD) on Wednesday announced the arrest of three men involved in the deadly shooting of two police officers in Irbid a day earlier.

On Tuesday, Captain Jamal Darawsheh and Corporal Usama Jarawreh were in their patrol vehicle near the Samma intersection to the west of Irbid, some 80 kilometres north of Amman, when unidentified assailants reportedly fired bullets at their vehicle.

Jarawreh, who was driving the vehicle, was injured and lost control of the car, which toppled down from the road.

A statement issued by the PSD media office said one of the suspects was a brother of a man from the village of Samma who was killed in a shoot-out with police in early October when police were trying to arrest him for alleged vandalism of an Islamic cemetery in the northern town.

The other two men were a friend and a cousin of the main suspect, who planned the attack against the highway patrol car, the statement said.

The police statement said investigation teams detected a connection between evidence found and a number of suspects, adding that several suspects were arrested and their houses were searched according to the procedures followed in such cases. 

Those who were found not involved in the incident were released while three people were marked as suspects. 

When police raided their houses, weapons and sharp tools were found, the PSD statement said. 

The main suspect allegedly confessed that they were planning to kill any police officer to avenge the killing of his brother. The other two suspects, police said, confessed their involvement in the incident. 

The suspects reportedly planned the deadly attack against any police patrol by hiding among trees on the highway. 

When the police vehicle passed, the men alledgedly fired from a Kalashnikov and ran away, said the statement, adding the suspects would be referred to the prosecutor general once the investigation is complete. 

Public relief 

Jordanians received the news about the arrest of the alleged killers with relief, with some demanding the death sentence. 

People also praised police for solving the crime quickly and for arresting the suspects. 

On Facebook, Omar A. Al Majali commented about the arrest of the suspects that their names should be made public and they should be sentenced to death. 

Nidal Hammouri wrote that the killers should be hanged because they killed police officers.  

“Great work... May the souls of victims rest in peace,” said Mohammad O. Hamidi. 

On radio stations, several people called shows to offer their condolences to the families of the fallen officers and thank the PSD for arresting the suspected criminals.