Palestinian police will increase their efforts to stop revelers from firing guns during wedding celebrations after the practice killed five people last month in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, police announced Tuesday.
"The police will begin intensive patrols and take extra steps to halt this occurrence. We will arrest those who shoot and detain them on the charge of threatening general security," Palestinian police chief Ghazi Jabali said in a statement.
Late Monday, Gaza resident Ezzedin Abu Shaaban, 23, was accidentally shot three times in the chest after one of his friends emptied the entire clip of an automatic rifle during his bachelor party.
Major Mahmud Asfur, deputy police cheif, told AFP that five people were killed in similar incidents in June.
"Unfortunately, some of the shootings were done by the members of the Palestinian security services," Asfur added.
"All citizens and members of the security services are forbidden from shooting into the air.
"Shooting into the air is a terrible occurrence that transforms a movement of happiness into one of sadness. It causes fights between families and it is expensive for the state. We don't want it," the police statement said -- GAZA CITY (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
