Suspected assailant and US consulate guard killed in shooting incident in Saudi Arabia

By Hamdi Alkhshali and Jennifer Hansler, CNN

(CNN) — At least two people died in a shooting incident near the United States consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to local police and a spokesperson for the consulate. One of those killed was a consulate security guard.

“A person in a car stopped near the American consulate building in Jeddah Governorate and got out of it carrying a firearm in his hand,” Saudi state news agency SPA reported citing a statement by the Mecca city police spokesperson. That person was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces, it said.

“A Nepalese worker in the consulate’s security guards was injured and then later died,” it also said.

A spokesperson for the consulate confirmed the incident. “There were two fatalities, including a member of the Consulate’s local guard force as well as the assailant, who was killed by Saudi security forces,” they said.

The spokesperson said the consulate was locked down during the incident, no Americans were harmed in the attack, and all official American and locally employed staff have been accounted for.

“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased local guards member,” the spokesperson said.

Saudi authorities are investigating the the incident.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.