Morocco: 2 shot in Marrakech attack, assailants on the run

Two people were shot last night in a drive-by shooting at a café in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

Two people on board a TMAX scooter opened fire on the terrace of the café La Crème in the Hivernage district, according to local media reports.

The alleged killers opened fire at approximately 19:45 outside the cafe located which is situated in front of the Marrakech Court of Appeal. Security services were dispatched to the scene and the perimeter was cordoned off.

Twenty-six-year-old medical student Hamza died after being shot in the head, while two others were injured including a young woman who was accompanying the victim. The victims were brought to the University Hospital of Marrakech, the Moroccan Press Agency reported.

Read: Morocco arrests 4 planning city attack

The motive of the shooting is still unknown but it is believed the victim was targeted because his father was a court official and the attack was likely an effort to settle an issue.

In an “embarrassing” blunder by the head of government, Saad Eddine El Othmani, the shooters were said to have been arrested but the statement was later retracted.

“In direct contact with the leaders, it appears that the search for the perpetrators of the attack is still ongoing and those who were apprehended before have nothing to do with this case,” El Othmani clarified on Twitter a few minutes after announcing that the police had apprehended the criminals.

في اتصال مباشر مع المسؤولين تبين ان البحث لا يزال جاريا عن منفذي الهجوم ومن حقق معهم لحد الساعة لا صلة لهم به،اللهم احفظ بلادنا ءامنا مطمئنا

— سعد الدين العثماني EL OTMANI Saad dine (@Elotmanisaad) November 2, 2017

Many users took to social media to criticise the blunder and the lack of information: “Free advice to the Government leader: offer condolences to the family of the victim and take care of the wounded,” one user wrote.

Conseil gratuit au chef gouvernement : présenter condoléances à la famille de la victime et veiller sur les blessés #Marrakech https://t.co/n3Y7O4KJ1R

— Mohamed Douyeb 🇲🇦 محمد الدويب (@MohamedDouyeb) November 2, 2017