Crowd in front of the store specializing in the installation of solar panels in mini, in Tripoli. (Credit: Michel Hallak/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Masked gunmen opened fire on two people inside a store in Tripoli on Friday, killing both before disappearing.
L'Orient Today's correspondent in northern Lebanon, Michel Hallak, reported that the two victims owned the store — which specializes in solar panel installation — in the Minieh neighborhood, where the shooting took place.
One of the victims died on the spot, while the second was taken to Kheir Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Both were originally from the village of Bzal, in the Akkar region.The incident caused panic in both Minieh and Bzal, causing heavy traffic jams in the region. Security services have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident and the identity of the gunmen.
When interviewed by our correspondent, local residents speculated the shooting maybe have been an act of revenge, possibly connected to the murder of an Internal Security Forces agent several months prior.
Gun violence is a pressing issue in northern Lebanon, exacerbated by the widespread availability of firearms in the area.
Yesterday, there was another shooting at a checkpoint in Tripoli when a man was detained for possessing a pistol without a license. The man was injured, arrested, and taken to hospital.
