Key takeaways:
- A gunman opened fire on the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and was killed by Saudi security forces.
- A local security guard employed by the consulate was also killed in the incident.
- The State Department said that Saudi authorities are currently investigating the incident.
On Wednesday evening, a gunman opened fire on the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The assailant was killed by Saudi security forces in an exchange of fire. A local security guard employed by the consulate was also killed in the incident.
The Makkah Al-Mukarramah Police said the assailant stopped his car near the port city’s American consulate and got out carrying a gun. The consulate went into lockdown as the shooting took place and no Americans or American staff were injured.
The State Department said that Saudi authorities are currently investigating the incident. A spokesperson for the State Department said that accountability of all official American and locally employed staff has been achieved.
The U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah is one of the largest diplomatic missions in the Middle East. It serves as a hub for diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia. The consulate has been the target of several attacks in the past, including a suicide bombing in 2004.
The State Department has not released any further information about the incident at this time.
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