A crowd gathers near the shooting location in Tripoli. (Courtesy of Michel Hallak/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — One man was killed and another was wounded in a shooting in Tripoli, North Lebanon, on Thursday, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region reported.
According to our correspondent, an argument broke out between two individuals — A.R. and B.K. — in the Tall neighborhood, after which the former opened fire at the latter, shooting him in the foot.
A.R. then started shooting erratically, hitting a passerby, O. H., in the head, who later died of his injuries after being transported by the Red Cross to the Islamic Hospital in Tripoli.
The suspected gunman fled the scene. The Lebanese Army and security forces were deployed to the scene.
Last week, Internal Security Forces began implementing a security plan in the city after a series of recent violent incidents.
On Saturday, a man was shot and injured in Kobbe, also in Tripoli, after a dispute between two families escalated into armed clashes.
The security situation has deteriorated in recent years amid Lebanon's economic crisis, which has plunged more than three-quarters of the population into poverty.
In September, caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi announced a "sustainable" security plan had been drawn up for northern Lebanon, following deadly shootings in Tripoli, the country's poorest city, which raised fears of a resurgence of violence.
A national security plan has also been recently implemented, involving the army as well as various security services, in the run-up to the holiday season.
Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak.