Odishatv Bureau
Lahore: An employee of the US consulate in this eastern Pakistani city opened fire and drove his vehicle at a high speed to evade an apparent robbery, killing three persons in a busy commercial area, police said.

The firing by the US national - identified by police as Raymond David, a member of the staff at the American consulate - killed two men who were apparently trying to rob him.

A third man on a motorcycle was killed when he was hit by David`s vehicle as he attempted to leave the Mozang area of Lahore. David`s car was intercepted by two alleged robbers, Lahore Police spokesman Niyab Haider told PTI.

"I opened fire in self-defence," David was quoted as saying by the spokesman. Haider said a pistol was recovered from the two men who allegedly tried to rob the US national.

Superintendent of Police (Operations) Umar Saeed too confirmed the men who intercepted the American were armed.

Police took David into custody after the incident though no case has been registered against him, officials said. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and directed officials to take action against the US national according to international conventions, TV news channels reported.

Footage on television showed that the front windscreen of the US national`s car was punctured by several bullets.

The rear windscreen was shattered.

Witnesses said they had seen the two armed trying to hold up the US national. They said they had then seen the American firing at the two men. The US national took photos of the two men after they fell to the ground on being hit by bullets, the witnesses said.

The American spoke in Urdu and told people who surrounded his car that he had acted in self-defence, they said. People protested in the area after the incident and burnt tyres to block roads.

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