The Qalioubiya security directorate said on Monday that a priest in St Marks Church in the district of Shubra El-Khaima has been shot dead by a church guard inside the church over a personal dispute.
The statement said that the 54-year-old suspect, who turned himself in to the police stqtion, shot 65-year-old priest Makkar Saad Makkar several times over a dispute involving money.
According to the security directorate, the victim had previously given Kamal a sum of EGP 1,000 to help him with his daughters wedding expenses. When the suspect returned to asked for more money, Makkar refused and was shot dead by Kamal, the directorate said.
The statement said that the suspect confessed to buying the weapon after Makkar failed to fulfil his promise to aid him financially, and that he hid the gun inside the church.
"The Department of Criminal Investigation has been ordered to investigate the incident and release a report," the statement said.
The Coptic Orthodox Church has issued a statement on its official Facebook page saying that the priest was shot dead at St Marks Church. The Church added that it is not responsible for anything posted on social media about the case that is not released on its official account.
