JEDDAH, 7 March 2004 — A police officer was shot dead while attempting to arrest two suspects here on Monday night.
A police investigation unit had come across a Hyundai car with two suspected liquor dealers outside a small cafeteria in Al-Bawadi district. As one of the suspects went inside the shop, police moved in to arrest the man who remained behind. As a result, a brief struggle ensued that resulted in one officer being bitten in the hand.
According to witnesses, the man, after biting the officer, yelled that he had a bomb and would blow himself and his car up. At that moment, the other suspect came out of the cafeteria, pulled out a gun and fired several shots at close range into police officer Ahmad Al-Thubyani’s chest and shoulders. As the other officer, Ahmad Al-Rehaily, attempted to help Al-Thubyani, the suspects escaped.
The pharmacist at Dunya Pharmacy, outside which Al-Thubyani lay dying, told Arab News: “I had closed for prayer and walked across the street to the mosque. As I went in, I heard something that sounded like firecrackers behind me. I didn’t think anything of it and went on inside to pray. After prayers when I came out of the mosque, I saw lots of people gathered around looking at something on the ground. Later I found out it was a policeman.”
The owner of the cafeteria told the Arabic language newspaper Okaz that he saw the policemen speaking to a man parked in a car outside the cafeteria. “I saw them talking and didn’t think anything was wrong, so I went in to prepare for prayers. I don’t think the man that came into the cafeteria wanted to rob us, because he was acting normally,” he said.
Police found the gun used in the killing at the scene, and were able to retrieve several fingerprints from it.
The area was sealed and checkpoints were set up as police investigators searched for the suspects, who remain at large.
In an interview with Al-Madinah Arabic daily, Saleh Al-Thubyani, the victim’s father, said: “My son was martyred while fulfilling his civil duty to his country arresting those that break the law.
“My son was married and has a young daughter who will sorely miss him,” he added.
Sheikh Rashed Al-Thubyani, the head of the Al-Thubyani family, said: “Ahmad has died a martyr. Everyone in our family is prepared to die for his country.”
Residents of the area were in shock.
Abdul Karim Mukhtar, 44, an Egyptian electrician, told Arab News: “I always thought this was a safe area, but we have been hearing of more and more crimes being committed. What happened here on Monday was unimaginable. But it could have happened anywhere.”
