Jordanian students were treated to an unexpected – and largely unwelcome – show of enthusiasm at their graduation ceremony, according to a recent video.
A female student was reciting speeches at an unknown school when one of the sponsors of the event suddenly drew a pistol from his clothing and fired into the air.
The gesture – apparently made in an impulse of celebration during a speech praising the donor – was met with shock by students, who halted the ceremony and backed away in fear.
After a video of the incident was circulated over social media, Jordan’s Ministry of Education opened an investigation. The spokesperson said the shooter would face punishment when found.
Celebratory shooting is a serious issue in Jordan, where bullets fired at weddings, graduations and other happy events have claimed multiple lives over the years. In 2010 the country’s King Abdullah launched a campaign against the practice after two people were killed in shooting incidents.Commentators have blamed the widespread practise on Bedouin traditions the developed in desert environments where it is easy to fire into the air without consequence.
