A row between Ibryam Ilmi and his neighbors prompted him to open fire in the village of Buzovtsi in Bulgaria's south, officials say.

Buzovgrad Mayor Mihail Yanushev has denied the perpetrator could be mentally unstable.

It was "a scandal erupted in the early hours of the day, precisely a quarrel between neighbors," which pushed one of the people present to take out a weapon and shoot in the air."

The shooting was near a hospital for treatment of children with physical and mental disabilities.

Ilmi, who had barricade himself in his home, surrendered after a police operation.

It is not yet clear what lured him outside, with some sources suggesting it was a neighbor inviting him to have a cup of coffee, the website dariknews.bg reports.

It was previously announced the 62-year-old had worked as a gunsmith at the Arsenal military factory near the town of Kazanlak.

Arsenal, however, has described the reports of his position as "exaggerated", but has added he did work for the company.

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