Gunshots fired at Chinese consulate

China asked the United States to determine what had happened on Tuesday after a shooting outside the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles and to take measures to ensure the safety of the building and the diplomats working there.

A man fired several gunshots outside the Consulate General of China in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning before taking his own life.

The Chinese consulate confirmed the shooting and said in a brief statement on Tuesday that “it is extremely concerned about the incident and has urged the US to take all necessary measures to protect the safety of the consulate building as well as the diplomatic staff there”.

It also asked US authorities to find out what had happened, the statement said.

The shooting, reported about 6 am, did not injure anyone else. The man, in his 60s, died in his vehicle at the shooting scene, Xinhua News Agency quoted an official from the consulate as saying.

Police confirmed that the man was of Asian descent, but did not identify him, the official said.

A consulate official also told Xinhua that a report saying the shooter is a Chinese national is “just speculation.” The official said the Los Angeles Police Department was investigating and would ascertain the gunman’s background in the coming days.

In 2011, a man of Chinese origin opened fire at the same consulate with a handgun. There were no injuries in that incident.

Xinhua reporters who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident saw six bullet holes in the consulate building, with one on the building’s metal address plate, two on the facade near surveillance cameras and three in windows.

A consulate security guard told Xinhua that the gunman shot at least 17 bullets before killing himself in his car.

It was not immediately clear if the gunman had any political motive, local media cited police sources as saying.

Officials from the consulate told Xinhua that the consulate general opened to the public on Tuesday as usual.