The Department of State has confirmed that two U.S. government employees were killed and two others wounded in a shooting incident at the Jordan International Police Training Center.
Jordan-Americans Killed.; 1c x 2 inches; 46.5 mm x 50 mm;
FILE – In this Thursday, June 20, 2013 file photo, soldiers participate in a combined special operations demonstration with commandos from Jordan, Iraq and the U.S. as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers, at the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) in Amman, Jordan. The government-owned Al-Rai newspaper says a Jordanian policeman opened fire on American contractors at a police training center, killing two and injuring three.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)
AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File
FILE – In this Thursday, June 20, 2013 photo, special operations forces from Iraq, Jordan and the U.S. conduct an exercise as part of Eager Lion multinational military maneuvers at the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) in Amman, Jordan. The government-owned Al-Rai newspaper says a Jordanian policeman opened fire on American contractors at a police training center, killing two and injuring three.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)
AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File
Ambulances leave the King Abdullah bin Al Hussein Training Center where a Jordanian policeman went on a shooting spree in Mwaqar on the outskirts of Amman, Jordan, Monday Nov. 9, 2015. The policeman opened fire Monday on foreign trainers at a police compound, killing two Americans, a South African and a Jordanian and wounding two Americans and three Jordanians, according to government spokesman Mohammed Momani.
(AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)
AP Photo/Raad Adayleh
Ambulances leave the King Abdullah bin Al Hussein Training Center where a Jordanian policeman went on a shooting spree in Mwaqar on the outskirts of Amman, Jordan, Monday Nov. 9, 2015. The policeman opened fire Monday on foreign trainers at a police compound, killing two Americans, a South African and a Jordanian and wounding two Americans and three Jordanians, according to government spokesman Mohammed Momani.
(AP Photo/Raad Adayleh)
AP Photo/Raad Adayleh
FILE – In this Monday, June 17, 2013 file photo, U.S. special operations forces watch a rehearsal by special operations forces from Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon as part of Eager Lion, a multinational military exercise in Zarqa, Jordan. The government-owned Al-Rai newspaper says a Jordanian policeman opened fire on American contractors at a police training center, killing two and injuring three.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)
WASHINGTON — The Department of State has confirmed that two U.S. government employees were killed and two others wounded in a shooting incident at the Jordan International Police Training Center, southeast of Amman, on Monday.
In a statement, the Jordanian government said “three contractors with the Public Security Department, including two Americans and a South African, along with a Jordanian civil employee were killed.”
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of all of the victims,” the U.S. Embassy in Jordan, said in a special security message posted on its website.
Jordanian officials said a “police officer opened fire on the trainers and their colleagues, killing the four individuals and wounding five others, including two American trainers and three Jordanians.”
The shooter was killed at the scene by Jordanian police forces.
The state department said the investigation is ongoing and “it is premature to speculate on motive at this point.”
“We are working closely with the Government of Jordan and local security services on a full and comprehensive investigation,” the department said. “We strongly condemn this incident and we deeply appreciate the cooperation and support received from our Jordanian partners. The Embassy has not changed its security posture.”
JJ Green is WTOP's National Security Correspondent. He reports daily on security, intelligence, foreign policy, terrorism and cyber developments, and provides regular on-air and online analysis. He is also the host of two podcasts: Target USA and Colors: A Dialogue on Race in America.
