Daily US Times, Bangkok, Thailand: A Thai soldier accused of killing 26 people and injuring more than 57 others in a shooting at a crowded shopping mall within the Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima has been shot dead by Thai police.
Bringing an end to a 12-hour manhunt, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha mentioned Sunday.
Jakraphanth Thomma on Saturday killed his commanding officer before stealing weapons from an army camp.
Military officers announced earlier that the shooter had been killed on Sunday morning. The attacker was “shot dead” at around 9 AM local time (9 PM ET Saturday), according to officers.
The standoff started on Saturday after the shooter began firing first at a military site and then on the Terminal 21 shopping mall in Thailand’s northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province, also known as Korat.
Frantic scenes from the mall overnight confirmed heavily armed Thai soldiers trying to shepherd terrified shoppers out to security.
Thank you police and military for ending the situation
The gunman, who posted materials to social media, was shot dead after being cornered all night within the building.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha gave the higher death toll on Sunday, a rise from an earlier figure of 26 and more then 57 people are wounded.
“It’s unprecedented in Thailand, and I would like to be the last time this disaster happens,” he mentioned, after visiting the wounded at a hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima.
He mentioned the motive for the attack appeared to be Jakraphanth’s grudge after believing he had been cheated over a property deal.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on his Facebook page on Sunday morning, congratulating the security forces for their actions within the north-eastern Thai city.
“Thank you police and army for ending the situation. Shooter shot dead!!!”
What happened at the shopping mall?
Shortly after 03:00 local time (20:00 GMT on Saturday) gunfire was heard because the security forces raided the constructing, attempting to dislodge the gunman.
A number of folks had been led out of the centre, however, there have been considerations that more people had been being held, hostage.
At 09:30 (02:30 GMT) on Sunday, police confirmed that the gunman had been shot dead, however, so far there aren’t any more particulars about how the operation concluded.
Armed soldiers are guarding around the shopping centre. Source: EPA
Earlier reports mentioned the gunman, aged 32, had tried to escape through the back of the constructing.
The suspect’s mom was also brought to the shopping mall to attempt to persuade him to give himself up.
One of many people freed told the Media how she and others hid in a restroom on the fourth ground, earlier than fleeing to the second and hiding beneath a restaurant table for 3 hours, listening to at least 4 gunshots before she saw some soldiers and will get to security.
Charlie Crowson, a teacher of English who lives in Nakhon Ratchasima, told the Media there were “our bodies on the streets” of the usually peaceful city.
He mentioned that one of his girlfriend’s former college students was amongst these killed within the attack that lasted for many hours.
Thai soldier killed: How did the attack unfold?
It started at about 15:30 local time on Saturday (08:30 GMT) on the Suatham Phithak army camp, where the commanding officer, named by the Bangkok Post as Col Anantharot Krasae, was killed.
The Post mentioned a 63-year-old girl, Col Anantharot’s mother-in-law, and another Thai soldier was also killed there.
The suspect seized arms and ammunition from the camp earlier than taking a Humvee-type car.
He then opened fire at plenty of sites earlier than arriving at Terminal 21 at about 18:00 local time (11:00 GMT).
Local media footage appeared to point out the suspect getting out of his car and firing pictures as people fled.
CCTV footage showed him contained in the shopping mall with a raised rifle.
What did the suspect post on social media?
He posted on his social media accounts through the attack, with one post on Facebook asking whether he should surrender.
He had earlier posted a picture of a pistol with three sets of bullets, along with the words “it’s time to get excited” and “nobody can avoid loss of life”.
Facebook has now taken the page down
It mentioned: “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and the group affected by this tragedy in Thailand. There isn’t a place on Facebook for people who commit this sort of atrocity, nor do we permit people to praise or assist this attack.”
Amateur footage
Local media earlier confirmed footage of the Thai soldier getting out of a car in front of the shopping mall and firing a series of shots.
Footage circulating online showed panicked scenes, with people fleeing and what gave the impression to be the sound of automatic gunfire filling the air.
A girl interviewed by Thailand’s Channel One television mentioned she had heard gunshots when she was at the shopping mall and hid in a clothing store with other people earlier than escaping.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun possession in the world however mass shootings by soldiers targeting civilians are rare.
Several shootings at courthouses late last yr also renewed concern about gun violence within the nation.
In a single high-profile case, two lawyers had been shot dead by a clerk at a court in eastern Thailand throughout a hearing over a land dispute.
Thai soldier killed
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