Rogue Afghan guard kills 3 Americans at children's hospital in Kabul

USPA News - A rogue Afghan police officer opened fire Thursday at a children`s hospital in the capital Kabul, killing a pediatrician from the United States and two other Americans who were visiting him, officials said. The motive for the killings was not immediately known.

The attack happened on Thursday morning when a member of the Afghan police detail assigned to protect the hospital opened fire at the American civilians. Dr. Jerry Umanos, a pediatrician from Chicago who had served at the CURE-run hospital for more than 7 years, was killed along with a father and son who had an appointment with him. A Kabul police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the gunman opened fire at the foreigners as they entered the hospital compound. Two other people were injured in the shooting, including a hospital guest who sustained a non life-threatening injury, the hospital said. "The shooter was not an employee of CURE International," said CURE International President and CEO Dale Brantner. "The assailant shot himself after the attack and was taken into surgery by Jerry`s colleagues at the hospital before being transferred out of our facility into the custody of the government of Afghanistan." There was no word on the possible motive for Thursday`s shooting attack, and there were no claims of responsibility from insurgents. "We don`t yet know the motivation of the assailant and are still working very closely with the Afghan authorities to learn all the details surrounding this tragic incident," Brantner added. Thursday`s attack came just weeks after another rogue Afghan police officer opened fire on two women working for the Associated Press news agency. German AP photojournalist Anja Niedringhaus, who was with her colleagues to interview locals ahead of the April 5 presidential election, died instantly after she was shot in a car that was arriving at the Tani district police headquarters in eastern Khost province. The hospital attack on Thursday also came nearly a month after gunmen attacked the Kabul offices and guesthouse of American charity Roots of Peace, killing two people, including an Afghan child who was caught in the crossfire as police exchanged gunfire with the attackers. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.