A prominent bodyguard to Saudi Arabia‘s King Salman has been shot and killed in a personal dispute, according to state media.
Major General Abdulaziz al-Fagham was killed in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, where the government relocates for the summer months, the al-Ekhbariya broadcaster reported on Sunday.
The state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said al-Fagham was shot and killed while visiting a friend’s home.
Citing a police statement, SPA said a conversation between al-Fagham and Mamdouh bin Meshaal Al Ali – a third man present, described as a friend – grew heated and Al Ali retrieved a firearm from outside and opened fire.
The shooter refused to surrender to police who had surrounded the site and subsequently shot him dead, the statement said. Another Saudi, a Filipino and five members of the security forces were also wounded by gunfire, it added.
Al-Fagham was transferred to a hospital but died from his wounds.
Tributes poured in on social media for al-Fagham, with many posts including images of the bodyguard at work.
“May you rest in peace, hero …” senior Royal Court adviser Turki al-Sheikh tweeted.