Dubai man jailed for firing machine gun at cousin

A man has been jailed for six months after he fired a machine gun at his cousin while he was using a Playstation games console with friends.

The defendant, a 25-year-old Emirati, was found guilty of attempted murder at Dubai Court of First Instance. He was also jailed for a further two months for possessing the semi-automatic weapon and 133 bullets.

The incident happened at the cousin's house in Refaa, Dubai.

Prosecutors said the victim had been using the Playstation with three friends when the defendant came in.

“He was drunk and was causing trouble - yelling and insulting us,” the victim said.

“I asked him to be quiet but he refused. Then I asked him to leave the room. He kept refusing so I pushed him out and locked the door."

He added: "After 30 minutes he knocked on the door. I opened it, he was carrying a machine gun and pointed it to my head. I managed to get hold of the barrel and move it just as I heard the noise of a bullet firing over my head.

“It hit a closet in the room and smashed it to pieces. He then fled.”

One of the victim's friends was injured in the shooting when he was struck in the head by shrapnel.

Dubai Police arrested the defendant and found the gun along with another rifle and 133 bullets at his home.

During his trial, the defendant had denied attempted murder and his lawyer, Saeed Al Gelani, told the court that his client had just been joking and never intended to discharge the weapon.

"The machine gun belonged to his dead father," he said. “He was just joking with the victim. It was an accidental shooting and the victim has even waived his rights.”