JEDDAH, 21 February 2005 — A police officer shot a Chadian dead early yesterday in self-defense after the man and his companion resisted arrest and badly beat up the officer, a security source said. The source said the officer pulled over a suspicious car with two Chadians a little after midnight. “The two men resisted arrest and started a hand-to-hand fight with the officer north of Jeddah,” he told Arab News.
After seeing the incident, five young men came to the help of the officer and fought with the two attackers. One Chadian managed to run away from the scene after he saw the youth bravely backing the officer.
The youth then ran after the fleeing attacker to apprehend him while the officer and the other attacker were still fighting, the source said. “The attacker literally beat up the officer, who for fear of his life pulled out his gun in self-defense and shot him,” he explained.
Security agents are now questioning the arrested Chadian, the source said, adding that the policeman, who was rushed to a nearby hospital, is out of danger.
