Saudi police arrest son of murdered religious police official

Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested a 17-year-old boy suspected of killing his father, an official in the country’s religious police.

A police spokesman said that Fahd Al Khudeir, chief of the religious police in the ultraconservative province of Al Qassim, was killed approximately two weeks ago.

The spokesman told the Saudi newspaper Sabq that authorities received a call on the morning of July 23 about a fire in a house in Al Qassim, and units were immediately dispatched to the scene.

“After putting out the blaze, the owner of the house was transported to hospital, where it was revealed that a number of gunshots to his upper body led to his death,” he said.

The spokesman said the man's son was arrested after investigators collected evidence and found the murder weapon.

He said the 17-year-old admitted to killing his father and his case was transferred to public prosecution. The motive for the killing remains unclear.

Local media had reported that Al Khudeir was killed by two bullets to the chest by “unknown assailants” in his home, adding that the assailants set the house on fire in an attempt to cover up the crime.