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American contractors shot in Saudi Arabia | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
An American employee of a US defence contractor has been killed and another injured in a gun attack in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh. | |
Both victims worked for Vinnell Arabia, a US company providing support to the Saudi National Guard, officials said. | Both victims worked for Vinnell Arabia, a US company providing support to the Saudi National Guard, officials said. |
The motive for the attack was unclear. A man was later held after exchanging fire with Saudi security forces. | |
Saudi officials said the man - named as Abdul Aziz Fahad al-Rashid - had no known links to "extremist" groups. | |
'Drug-related issues' | |
Tuesday's shooting happened when the two Americans stopped their car at a petrol station in eastern Riyadh. | |
Officials later said they had arrested Mr Rashid, reportedly a 24-year-old US-born Saudi national. | |
The Saudi interior ministry said that the "security authorities have no proven prior links between [Mr Rashid] and extremist organisations". | |
In a statement, the Saudi embassy in Washington said Mr Rashid had "worked at the same company as the victims, and was recently dismissed from his job due to drug-related issues". | |
US state department spokesman Jen Psaki said the shooting happened not far from the Vinnell Arabia base in Riyadh. | US state department spokesman Jen Psaki said the shooting happened not far from the Vinnell Arabia base in Riyadh. |
She said the wounded contractor had been "lightly injured". | She said the wounded contractor had been "lightly injured". |
"We are in close contact with the Saudi government as we continue to gather details about the shooting and motive," she said. | "We are in close contact with the Saudi government as we continue to gather details about the shooting and motive," she said. |
"We are in the process of evaluating our security posture and will take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of all US mission personnel." | "We are in the process of evaluating our security posture and will take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of all US mission personnel." |
The last reported killings of Westerners by gunmen in Saudi Arabia was in 2007 when three French nationals were shot dead while camping in the north-west. | The last reported killings of Westerners by gunmen in Saudi Arabia was in 2007 when three French nationals were shot dead while camping in the north-west. |