A man who claimed to be a saint has been shot dead in a shootout with police outside the Saudi Finance Ministry, the official Saudi Press Agency reported Friday.
Nasser bin Habis al-Morqi was killed Thursday after he started firing at random on the perimeter of the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the agency said, quoting the chief of police in Riyadh.
Al-Morqi had tried to enter the ministry, and one of his shots wounded a security guard in the leg, the report said.
Police tried to persuade the gunman to turn himself in, but he demanded money and free passage to leave the kingdom, claiming he was a saint who was out to save the world, the police chief said.
Al-Morqi attempted to flee, firing his gun. In the ensuing gunbattle, he was wounded and arrested. He died of his wounds in hospital. (Albawaba.com)
