Saudi Reportedly Kills 11 Relatives, Himself

A Saudi man apparently distraught over marital problems hunted down his wife at her sister’s home, where he killed her, their three daughters and seven other family members, the official Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday. The man later committed suicide.

In all, 12 people died in Tuesday’s shooting rampage, including the sister, her husband and their five children. The press agency did not identify the man or his victims.

After the man killed his relatives in Jidda, he fled to Medina, about 200 miles north, the agency quoted the head of the Mecca district police, Gen. Saeed Qahtani, as saying. He took two children hostage in Medina, threatening to kill them if police officers got close, the report said.

After officers persuaded him not to harm the children, he shot himself.

Qahtani said there had been problems between the killer and his wife. She left their home in Medina recently and moved with their daughters to her sister’s home in Jidda.