(Updated Sunday 9.15 a.m.)

A 31-year-old man from Kirkop is to be arraigned this afternoon in connection with the shooting incident at Mqabba PN club which injured 11 people late on Saturday.

The man was arrested on the spot after he fired several shots following an argument with a club official.

The shooting took place shortly before 10 p.m.

The police said earlier on Sunday morning that 11 people were hurt including a 30-year-old man from Safi and an 32 year old woman from Mqabba who suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries. It is understood that the man was released form hospital on Sunday morning, but the woman is being treated for head injuries.

The man who caused the incident was arrested on the spot and the shotgun was seized by the police.

People on the scene said that the man, who is not a member of the club, had had an argument with a club official and the police were called. At one time the man left, then returned and produced a shotgun from a pick-up truck and started shooting. He was promptly arrested by the police who were already on the scene.

Two policemen were hospitalised suffering from shock

The incident is not believed to be directly political although the man has been involved in political arguments over the past months.

PN officials including Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and General Secretary Paul Borg Olivier immediately went to the club. Also on the scene was Police Commissioner John Rizzo.

PL leader Joseph Muscat phoned the Prime Minister soon after the incident and expressed the party's solidarity. He later visited the club, the Labour Party said.

Alternattiva Demokratika condemned the incident.

Magistrate Silvio Meli is holding an inquiry.

Foreign Minister Tonio Borg this morning visited the injured woman in hospital.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.