Random shooting: How to stop Lebanon’s stealthy killer

Celebratory shootings in the air, or what Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, Lebanon’s general security chief, called the “stealthy killer,” is a phenomenon some Lebanese still hold on to to express their joys and sorrows. This phenomenon was the theme of the workshop organized on Thursday in Beirut.

The workshop focused on “applying behavioral sciences to put an end to indiscriminate shootings on occasions.”

Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said: “People have a human and moral right to express their feelings in a joyful celebration or a sad occasion. However, they cannot do so by shooting — a crime that shall be subject to the most severe punishment and social condemnation.”

Dr. Rana Shami talked about “her suffering at the American University of Beirut Medical Center AUH, as she tried to heal injured people with stray bullets, that ended the lives of many.” Dr. Shami launched the project “Stray Bullet Initiative,” as part of a campaign to combat this phenomenon. Gen. Ibrahim said: “We can no longer tolerate silence on the random shooting phenomenon. Decisive action must be taken at state level and its security and judicial entities, and even the local authorities, in parallel with civil society.”

According to official figures, the number of victims of the uncontrolled weapons in 2017 was 500, 170 of whom died. This number fell in 2018 to 300, including 120 deaths.

Maj. Gen. Ibrahim noted that “the dangers of random shootings are present all across the Lebanese regions, without exception.”