A man wanted in connection with the killing of four people in north China committed suicide on Wednesday, according to police.

Ning Yongfeng, 42, a native of Jiuzhou Village in Guangyang District of Langfang City, Hebei Province, committed suicide at noon when police were trying to arrest him in a house, said Hebei police.

Ning allegedly used a hunting rifle to shoot dead four of his fellow villagers at around 10 PM on Saturday before fleeing.

Police found him in a house in Jiuzhou on Wednesday morning and used tear gas to force him out as he was believed to be armed, police said.

Ning killed himself with his hunting rifle when police were trying to detain him.

The four villagers were killed near a restaurant where they had supper on Saturday evening.

Villagers said the killings were related to the village committee elections results, which were announced on Saturday. Two of the dead were newly elected members of the committee.

Ning was a former member of the Jiuzhou Village committee, but was fired in March because of allegations of corruption.

(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2007)