5 Dead, 6 Injured In Saipan Murder/Suicide

"Saipan Island - A gunman went on a rampage on the Pacific resort island of Saipan yesterday, first at a shooting range and then at a World War II site, killing four people and wounding six others before shooting himself.

"The violence claimed the lives of two men, a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl, all residents of the United States commonwealth, a spokesman said. Five South Korean tourists and a four-year-old local girl were wounded.

"Police said the attacker first took aim inside the shooting range in the community of Kannat Tabla, killing two men in their early 20s and the two children. A four-year-old girl was critically injured with a gunshot wound to the chest.

"About 11:30am, shortly after the first attack, the suspect began firing a rifle from a white van at a group of South Koreans visiting a World War II site in nearby Marpi. Police said they do not believe the shooter was specifically targeting tourists in what was termed a `random drive-by shooting.`

"Authorities said the suspected shooter was a contract worker in his 30s or 40s from Asia, but did not provide his name or home country. However, several residents said the man was known as `Mr Lee.`

"The Pacific News Center identified the gunman as Lee Zhong Ren, an employee at the shooting range. The news station also reported that Lee left behind a suicide note that spoke of a business deal gone bad.

"Saipan is the main island of the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which has about 60,000 residents and is about 6,100 kilometers southwest of Hawaii. Saipan is a popular tourist destination for South Koreans, with more than 111,000 visiting the island in 2008, according to the Marianas Visitors Authority."

From ShanghaiDaily.com...