A border guard shot one of his comrades to death and injured three others, including one local resident, before taking his own life in southern Vietnam on Saturday.

The shooting unfolded at around 4:35 pm at the border guard office of Binh Hiep Border Gate, located in Kien Tuong Town, Long An Province, Major General Nguyen Hoai Phuong, deputy commander of the Vietnam Border Defense Force in the southern part of the country, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper the same day.

The shooter, Second Lieutenant Ta Quang Dat, opened fire on other officers with his AK gun, Maj. Gen. Phuong added.

Two officers were injured and admitted to the hospital for emergency care.

Dat then stood in front of the office and fired his gun at nearby houses, injuring a resident who lives about 200 meters away.

The fourth victim, Captain Vu Hao Hiep, who was deputy chief of the Binh Hiep border guard office, was still inside the office following the shooting.

Local authorities were unable to reach Captain Hiep because Dat was guarding the venue with his active weapon.

Officers from the Long An border guard unit had tried to convince Dat to put his gun down and turn himself in as they cordoned off the area.

The effort went on in vain as Dat eventually committed suicide at around 8:00 pm the same day.

Officers then entered the venue and discovered that Captain Hiep had already succumbed to the serious wounds in his chest, stomach, and pelvis.

Dat had suffered from depression for quite a long time, Maj. Gen. Phuong said, adding that he had been receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Further investigation is ongoing.

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