17 arrested as Ruseifa murder triggers riots

AMMAN — Police on Saturday announced the arrest of 17 individuals in connection with the alleged shooting death of a man during a wedding and the ensuing riots in Ruseifa over the weekend.

The victim, 32, was killed during a wedding on Thursday night and riots erupted shortly afterwards, Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

“We rounded up 17 individuals following the incident and we are currently questioning them in connection with the death of the victim and the rioting acts,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

Shortly following the news of the death of the man came out, one house “believed to belong to one of the suspects was set on fire,” according to the police official.

Gendarmerie forces were called in to the town and calm was restored, the police official noted.

Sartawi did not reveal the cause of the murder or whether a weapon was seized or not and stressed that “the incident was being investigated”.

“We cannot reveal any further information regarding this incident until we conclude our investigations and pinpoint the individuals who were directly involved in the murder and the riots,” Sartawi added.

A senior judicial source told The Jordan Times that the Criminal Court prosecution department had been notified about the incident.

“We have been notified by the police about the shooting incident that lead to the death of an individual,” the senior judicial source said, adding that once investigations are over, the Criminal Court prosecutor will start questioning the suspects and the witnesses.