Assailant Held, Freed after Pointing Gun at Marouni Convoy

Security forces arrested on Sunday a man after he pointed his gun at the convoy of MP Elie Marouni near the Phalange party offices in the eastern city of Zahle, the National News Agency reported.

NNA later reported that the man, Dr. Pierre Hilal, was in a white Honda when he pointed the gun at the convoy after it reached the party’s offices near the Central Bank. The security forces immediately dispatched patrols to the area and arrested the assailant, NNA added.

However, following his release later on Sunday, Hilal and a delegation from his family which hails from Zahle visited Marouni at the Phalange party offices and expressed their appreciation for the lawmaker and the family ties that bind them together.

The delegation noted that “Dr. Hilal’s behavior resulted from a misunderstanding.”

For his part, Marouni stressed “his respect for the dear family and thanked God that the incident ended peacefully,” NNA reported.