By B Izzak
KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti gunman who exchanged gunfire with security men and refused to surrender after hiding in a house in Umm Al-Haiman yesterday shot and killed himself before special forces stormed the house.
Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh and top ministry officers were at the scene as officials tried for six hours trying to convince the man to give himself up but eventually he killed himself. The dramatic night began when a Kuwaiti woman complained to the police that the man had fired some 15 shots at her home in Sabah Al-Salem area and fled.
Police later succeeded in locating his whereabouts at a house in Umm Al-Haiman area, also known as 'Ali Sabah Al-Salem' area. They asked him to surrender but he fired shots at the vehicle of a senior security officer, the interior ministry said in a brief statement.
Police called for reinforcements including members of the elite special forces who exchanged gunfire with the man for extended periods. Police used tear gas and stun grenades in the exchange.
Authorities later called some of his relatives who tried to convince the man to turn himself in through loudspeakers but all efforts went in vain. Almost after six hours of attempts and intermittent exchange of fire, the man finally shot himself in the head according to some reports. He was pronounced dead by the forensic officials.