Nahed Hattar, a Jordanian writer was shot dead by an unknown gunman outside the court where he was standing trial for sharing cartoons that seemed to be offensive for the Islamic religion.

Al Jazeera reported that three bullets were found on him. A police witness revealed that Hattar was shot when he was preparing to go into the courthouse for a hearing. The lone gunman was able to shoot him in close range.

“He was standing at a short distance of about one metre in front of Nahed on the stairs of the Supreme Court,” a witness told the

Associated Press news agency on condition of anonymity.

It would be recalled that Hattar, a Christian writer, was apprehended on August 13 after posting a caricature on his Facebook account that depicted a bearded man in heaven smoking in bed with women, asking God to bring him wine and cashews