2015 Amman shooting attack

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]

Amman shooting attack
LocationAl-Muwaqqar, Amman, Jordan
DateNovember 9, 2015
Attack type
Mass shooting, workplace violence
WeaponsAK-47
Deaths6 (including the perpetrator)[1]
Injured5[1]
PerpetratorOfficer Anwar Abu Ubayd
MotiveFinancial and psychological problems

The attack took place on the tenth anniversary of Al-Qaeda in Iraq's 2005 Amman bombings.[2]

Investigations done by Jordanian officials found that 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 African, 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 28-year-old police officer Anwar Mohammed Salama al-Saad Abu Zaid 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]

Source of weapons

The weapons were stolen from the CIA's Timber Sycamore program.[13]

Possible motive

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

See also

References
  1. "ارتفاع عدد ضحايا الموقر الى ستة". Khaberni (in Arabic). Khaberni. November 10, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  2. Luck, Taylor (November 9, 2015). "Gunman in Jordan kills 5, including 2 Americans, at police training site". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  3. "Jordan policeman shoots dead foreign trainers". BBC. November 9, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  4. "تفاصيل حادثة الموقر - صور وفيديو". November 14, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  5. "Gov't updating US, South Africa on deadly shooting probe". The Jordan Times. November 11, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  6. Freeman, Colin (November 9, 2015). "Two Americans and a South African shot dead at Jordan security training facility". The Telegraph. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  7. "الملك يطمئن على مصابي الموقر - صور". November 9, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  8. Malkawi, Khetam (November 15, 2015). "Muwaqqar shooting a 'lone wolf attack' — minister". Times of Jordan. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  9. Malkawi, Khetam (November 11, 2015). "'Gov't updating US, South Africa on deadly shooting probe'". Times of Jordan. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  10. Mettler, Katie (November 10, 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 November 11, 2015.
  11. Daily star.com.lb 10 November 2015. Lebanon's English language daily newspaper.
  12. Sweis, Rana (November 9, 2015). "Jordanian Police Officer Kills Five, Including Two Americans". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  13. "Jordanian spies stole CIA weapons intended for Syrian rebels". Vice Media Group. June 27, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
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