Saudi State media says King Salman’s bodyguard shot dead by friend over personal dispute in Jeddah

Dubai: A prominent bodyguard to Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was shot and killed in what authorities described as a personal dispute, State TV reported Sunday, offering few details on an incident that shocked the kingdom.

Tributes poured in across social media for Major General Abdulaziz al-Fagham, with many including images of the bodyguard at work. One included him bending down to apparently help tie the shoes of King Salman, the 83-year-old ruler of the oil-rich kingdom. Others show al-Fagham in the background of events with both King Salman and his predecessor, the late King Abdullah.

Details remained vague. While officials posted condolences for al-Fagham, the first official word of his death came in a single tweet by Saudi state television. "Major General Abdulaziz al-Fagham, bodyguard of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was shot dead following a personal dispute in Jeddah," the tweet read.