J I D D A H, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 27, 2000 -- A Saudi man apparently distraught over marital problems hunted down his wife at her sister’s home, where he killed her, their three daughters and seven other family members, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. The man later committed suicide.

In all, 12 people died in Tuesday’s shooting rampage, including the sister, her husband and their five children. The press agency did not identify the man or his victims.

After the man killed his relatives in Jiddah, he fled to the Muslim holy city of Medina, 220 miles to the northeast, the agency quoted the head of Mecca police, Gen. Saeed al-Qahtani, as saying. He took two children hostage in Medina, holding them on the roof of a building and threatening to kill them if police officers got close, the report said.

Problems At Home

After officers persuaded him not to harm the children, he shot himself. Two pistols were found with him, the agency’s report said.

Al-Qahtani said there had been problems between the killer and his wife. The wife left their home in Medina recently and moved with their daughters to her sister’s home in Jiddah.

The press agency report gave no further details, and police could not be immediately reached for comment.