A 30-year-old man in Iran unleashed a horrific mass shooting, claiming the lives of 12 relatives, including his father and brother, according to official media reports on Saturday. The assailant, whose identity remains undisclosed, wielded a Kalashnikov assault rifle during the violent episode, which unfolded in a remote rural village in the south-central province of Kerman.
Security forces swiftly responded to the distressing situation, engaging the shooter and ultimately neutralizing him. The use of a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a weapon not commonly associated with civilian ownership in Iran, has raised concerns about the availability and circulation of such firearms in the country.
Authorities have stated that the motive behind the incident was a family dispute, though specific details have not been provided. The shooting has left the local community in shock, as mass killings are uncommon in Iran, where strict regulations limit civilian possession of firearms to hunting rifles.
This devastating event follows a similar incident two years ago when a former employee of a state institution in western Iran went on a shooting rampage, resulting in the deaths of three people and injuries to five others before taking his own life. Such occurrences highlight the rarity of mass shootings in a country where gun ownership is tightly regulated.
The Iranian government is likely to face increased scrutiny over gun control measures in the wake of this tragic event, as authorities work to piece together the details of the family dispute that led to the shocking loss of 12 lives.