2015 Amman shooting attack

Amman shooting attack
Location Al-Muwaqqar, Amman, Jordan
Date November 9, 2015
Attack type
 Mass shooting, workplace violence
Weapons Firearm
Deaths 6 (including the perpetrator)[1]
Non-fatal injuries
 5[1]
Perpetrator Officer Anwar Abu Ubayd
Motive Financial and psychological problems

On 9 November 2015, a Jordanian police officer opened fire on a police training center staff during their lunch break at the cafeteria in Al-Muwaqqar, Amman, Jordan, killing four, including two Americans, a South African, and a Jordanian. Six others were injured, including three Americans, a Lebanese, and two Jordanians, one of whom later died. The gunman was then killed by a fellow Jordanian officer.[1][2][3]

Although the attack took place on the tenth anniversary of the 2005 Amman bombings, investigations done in Jordan have confirmed that it was coincidental and that the attack was not affiliated to any terrorist groups. Rather, the motive of the mass shooting was "financial and psychological problems of the perpetrator".[4] The mass shooting is an uncommon event in the secure country.[5]

Attack

The attack was on personnel at the United States funded Jordan International Police Training Centre (JIPTC), a facility that principally trains Palestinian and Iraqi police officers.[3][6] The facility is located in the Al-Muwaqqar district of the Amman Governorate, and is staffed by contractors from the United States and other countries.[3] On the same day, King Abdullah of Jordan paid a visit to the wounded lying in the King Hussein Medical Center.[7]

According to Jordanian Minister of the Interior Salameh Hammad, the investigation concluded that Abu Ubayd acted alone.[8]

Victims

Two Jordanians, one South Africa, and two U.S. nationals were killed in the attack. The wounded included a Lebanese police lieutenant, two U.S. contractors, and three Jordanian police officers.[9]

The two Jordanian translators who were killed were Kamal Malkawi and Awni Aqrabawi.[9] The Americans were James "Damon" Creach (42), from New Tampa, Florida, and Lloyd "Carl" Fields Jr. of Cape Coral, Florida.[10][8] They were employed by DynCorp International. The program they were working on is funded by the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.[11]

Perpetrator

The gunman was identified as police officer Anwar Bani Abdu, while Al-Rai newspaper, the government's official outlet, named the assailant as officer Anwar Abu Ubayd.[6] The perpetrator was with the Jordanian criminal investigation department before he was transferred to the police training academy.[2][12]

Motives

On 14 November, Jordanian government held a press conference to discuss the shooting. According to Minister of Inferior Affairs Salameh Hammad, the officer was declared a lone wolf, and that the motives of the shooting were not related to any terrorist organizations, rather "financial and psychological problems of the perpetrator".[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ارتفاع عدد ضحايا الموقر الى ستة". Khaberni (in Arabic). Khaberni. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 Luck, Taylor (9 November 2015). "Gunman in Jordan kills 5, including 2 Americans, at police training site". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "Jordan policeman shoots dead foreign trainers". BBC. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 "تفاصيل حادثة الموقر - صور وفيديو". 14 November 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Gov't updating US, South Africa on deadly shooting probe". The Jordan Times. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  6. 1 2 Freeman, Colin (9 November 2015). "Two Americans and a South African shot dead at Jordan security training facility". The Telegraph. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "الملك يطمئن على مصابي الموقر - صور". 9 November 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  8. 1 2 Malkawi, Khetam (15 November 2015). "Muwaqqar shooting a 'lone wolf attack' — minister". Times of Jordan. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  9. 1 2 Malkawi, Khetam (11 November 2015). "‘Gov’t updating US, South Africa on deadly shooting probe’". Times of Jordan. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  10. ↑ Mettler, Katie (10 November 2015). "Tampa defense contractor was among 5 killed in shooting rampage by Jordanian police officer". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on November 12, 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  11. ↑ Daily star.com.lb 10 November 2015. Lebanon's English language daily newspaper.
  12. ↑ Sweis, Rana (9 November 2015). "Jordanian Police Officer Kills Five, Including Two Americans". New York Times. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
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