Police officer killed 4, commits suicide

Oct. 11 (ESAT News) A federal police officer committed suicide after killing four people and injuring two others last Sunday in Shendi town, Western Gojam.

Eye witnesses told ESAT that the tragic incident happened after the owner of a local Hotel, Tinsae Hotel, rejected the officer’s request to take a waitress who was busy serving a crowd of customers watching a soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The owner’s refusal to allow the officer to take the waitress triggered a rowdy dispute that later involved a local government official who tried to intervene and admonished the officer.

The eye witnesses said that the federal police officer left the hotel and came back with a couple of friends and a weapon. He shot dead the owner of the hotel at point blank. The officer also shot and killed two customers and a friend that tried to stop him.

Three of the victims, including two brothers, Melak Asteray and Mulat Asteray, were buried this week. Some owners of hotels closed their business to protest the lack of safety and security in the area. Tension was high in the town as members of the federal police patrolled the streets in a bid to prevent potential unrest, eye witnesses told ESAT.