Shooting triggers deadly explosion in Erbil’s Koya district

ERBIL — A shooting inside a residence in Erbil’s Koya district on Saturday night sparked an explosion that killed one person, local officials said.

Goran Ahmed, head of Koya’s Civil Defense, explained that “a gunshot was fired inside a house last night, striking a gas bottle and causing it to explode. The blast ignited a vehicle in the home’s courtyard, and the fire quickly spread through the house.”

Emergency teams extinguished the flames, but 74-year-old Salah Said Awla, the homeowner, died in the incident.

Authorities are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting, though preliminary findings suggest it involved family members.

Nashaat Muhammad, head of the Emergency Department at Shaheed Khalid Hospital, confirmed the details, saying, “The individual involved had two gunshot wounds and severe burns. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, and the case has been referred for forensic examination.”

The investigation into the cause of the explosion and the events leading to the shooting is ongoing.