Murder suspect shot to death by police

HENAN police shot dead a suspect wanted for murder after he refused to surrender to officers the same day the Ministry of Public Security issued an arrest warrant for the ammunition depot worker.

Zhang Hongbin, 38, was shot to death about 8pm on Monday when he refused to give in after police found him in Shihuiyao Village, Baofeng County and surrounded the area, Beijing News reported today.

The local authority dispatched almost 100 police officers to the scene and tried to persuade the Henan native to walk out of the village, the report cited Chutian Metropolis Daily as saying.

Zhang allegedly shot dead a colleague surnamed Shi with a submachine gun after they quarreled while playing chess during a night shift on Sunday in the depot of Baofeng's Armed Forces Department in Pingdingshan City, the report said.

He was said to be drunk at that time and fled with the gun and 80 bullets, according to the ministry.

As negotiations broke down with Zhang in Shihuiyao, police pulled the trigger and killed him, the report said.

The house Zhang was hiding in was also knocked down during the raid, according to the report, which cited Shaanxi-based Huashang Daily.

Police confiscated Zhang's gun and said he fled with 40 bullets instead of 80. Most of the other bullets were used during the workplace shooting, the report said.

The ministry issued the arrest warrant on Monday and ordered authorities in Henan and neighboring provinces, including Hubei and Hebei, to launch an emergency search for the suspect.

The reason behind Zhang's alleged shooting remained unknown. But the report quoted insiders as saying that Zhang, a retired soldier, had an unpleasant history with Shi.