A woman was killed after she was shot twice in the neck in Mġarr yesterday. Her former partner is expected to be charged with her murder.

Christina Sammut, 40, from Rabat was allegedly shot by the man after he followed her in what investigators believe was a crime driven by jealousy.

Soon after the shooting, her former boyfriend, Kenneth Gafa of Marsa, turned himself in at Ħamrun police station, sources said.

The shooting happened at about 5.30 p.m. in Temi Zammit Street in Żebbiegh, Mġarr, where there is a wide crossroads.

Ms Sammut had stopped her van, a Citroen Berlingo, by the side, near a children’s playground when she was shot.

The gunman is believed to have walked out of his vehicle and twice pulled the trigger of his shotgun.

An ambulance was called on the scene and efforts were made to try to resuscitate Ms Sammut, who has a 15-year-old daughter. Residents in the area said they heard two gun shots. One woman said she immediately ran out to see if her relatives, who lived close to the scene of the crime, had been attacked.

“Lately there have been so many crimes. I thought it was another hold-up,” one woman said.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke carried out an onsite inquiry and appointed several experts.

The past few weeks have been characterised by serious crimes. Yesterday’s killing was the third shooting incident in as many weeks.

On November 23, businessman Joe Baldacchino was shot in the back by a man on a motorcycle in Valletta. Mr Baldacchino suffered serious injuries and is still in hospital.

On December 3, three men carried out a hold-up on a jeweller outside his Attard house. The jeweller’s son snatched the gun from one of the robbers and shot him in the leg.