Tripoli raid turns deadly as fugitive kills officer — the full story

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

What was meant to be a routine arrest of a suspect wanted for murder and attempted murder turned into a violent shootout involving gunfire and hand grenades.

Around 4 a.m., a "SWAT" team from the Judicial Police arrived at a building in Tripoli to arrest Nasser Roumieh, who was staying with his family on the second floor. Signs of close-range combat — bullet holes and blood stains — revealed the intensity of the confrontation inside the building.

Roumieh opened fire on the unit and threw five hand grenades, killing Warrant Officer Elias Tawk and injuring two officers and a soldier.

The building was quickly surrounded, and Roumieh’s brother intervened to persuade him to surrender. The negotiation succeeded, and the suspect eventually appeared on the balcony and declared his surrender. 

He and members of his family were taken in for questioning.

The Roumieh family had lived in the apartment — now sealed with red wax — for years. The suspect had been hiding in Syria since committing murder and several attempted murders but returned to Lebanon days ago to attend his father’s funeral, where he was tracked and targeted for arrest.

Already accused of past crimes, Roumieh’s return led to yet another tragedy with the killing of Tawk, mourned by the Internal Security Forces as a fallen hero. 

Tawk leaves behind a wife, two children, and a community of grieving family and friends.