Ward official killed in Vietnam shooting

HANOI: The vice- chairman of a ward in Vietnam’s central highlands Gia Lai province was allegedly shot dead by a military officer yesterday, local media reported.

The officer – vice-head of a military board of the ward – used an AK rifle to kill the vicechairman of the ward’s People’s Council, before shooting himself, online newspaper VnExpress reported. The military officer was seriously injured, reported Xinhua news agency.

In a national flag- saluting ceremony at the office of Doan Ket ward in Ayun Pa town, the military officer fired several shots into the sky, ‘controlled’ the 31year- old vice- chairman, shot her in the head, and shot himself, the report said.

Before the incident, the military officer and the victim got along well with each other, the provincial police said.

At the shooting scene, local police found the rifle and a handgun, and concluded that six bullets had been fired. — Bernama