Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Panic and grief swept through the Upper Egyptian governorate of Assiut after a heavily armed gunman opened fire randomly on civilians in the town of Abnoub, killing eight people and injuring several others in one of the deadliest mass shootings the region has witnessed in recent years.
The bloody attack unfolded on Tuesday evening when residents in the busy streets of Abnoub suddenly came under a hail of bullets fired from a passing private vehicle, according to security and local sources. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as terrified civilians scrambled for cover while victims collapsed in the streets amid relentless gunfire.
Security forces and emergency responders rushed to the scene moments after reports of the shooting emerged. Police quickly sealed off the area as ambulances transported the wounded to nearby hospitals, while the bodies of the victims were transferred to the morgue under orders from prosecutors.
Egypt’s Interior Ministry later confirmed that the attacker had opened fire indiscriminately on pedestrians near the Abnoub transport station in eastern Assiut Governorate, leaving eight people dead and at least seven others wounded.
Investigators rapidly identified the suspect and launched an extensive manhunt across the area. Authorities said the gunman fled toward agricultural land on the outskirts of the town, where security forces tracked him down after a large-scale search operation.
According to the ministry, the suspect opened fire on approaching officers after realizing police were closing in, triggering a fierce exchange of gunfire that ended with the attacker being killed at the scene.
Preliminary investigations revealed the gunman had reportedly been suffering from severe psychological disorders and had previously received treatment at a psychiatric hospital in Cairo. Authorities have not yet disclosed his identity publicly as prosecutors continue their investigation into the massacre and the weapon used in the attack.
The shooting sent shockwaves across Egypt, particularly in Upper Egypt where residents expressed outrage and fear over the random nature of the killings. Videos circulating on social media showed heavy police deployment, emergency vehicles flooding the streets, and frightened residents gathering near the blood-soaked scene shortly after the attack.
Among those killed were men, women, and a child, underscoring the indiscriminate brutality of the assault. Security sources identified the victims as Mansour Makram Hassan, 49, Hanan Mansour Ali, 35, Shaheen Karam Shaker, 25, Abeer Abdel Azim Hassan, 25, 10-year-old Zizo Ashraf Khalaf, Mostafa Omar Abdel Qawi, Khalaf Ayman Gharib, and Hamada Sobhy Mahmoud.
The wounded included several civilians suffering gunshot injuries, some reported to be in critical condition.
Assiut Security Director Major General Wael Nassar was notified immediately after the first emergency calls reported intense gunfire and multiple casualties in Abnoub. Senior security officials, detectives, and heavily armed police units descended on the area as authorities established a security cordon and began combing nearby streets and farmland.
Although Egypt occasionally witnesses shootings linked to tribal disputes, family feuds, or criminal conflicts, attacks involving random gunfire against civilians remain relatively rare. In recent years, Egyptian authorities have intensified campaigns targeting illegal weapons trafficking and violent crime across Upper Egypt in an effort to tighten security control in the region.
The massacre is expected to reignite debate over mental health monitoring, illegal firearms, and public safety after one of the deadliest civilian shootings Assiut has seen in years.
