A soldier with a grudge gunned down 26 people and wounded 57 in Thailand’s worst mass shooting before he was fatally shot inside a mall in the country’s northeast yesterday, officials said.
Officials said the soldier was angry over a financial dispute, first killing two people on a military base and then went on a far bloodier rampage on Saturday, shooting as he drove to the mall where shoppers fled in terror.
It took police sharpshooters 16 hours to end the crisis.
Photo: Reuters
Authorities said Sergeant Major Jakrapanth Thomma was behind the attack in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Much of the shooting took place at Terminal 21 Korat, an airport-themed mall filled with colorful Lego sculptures, a merry-go-round and huge replicas of landmarks from around the world.
“This incident was unprecedented in Thailand,” Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters as he gave the final tally yesterday morning after visiting the wounded in hospitals.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“I hope this is the only one and the last incident, and that it never happens again. No one wants this to happen. It could be because of this person’s mental health in this particular moment,” he said.
Video taken outside the mall showed people diving for cover as shots rang out on Saturday afternoon. Many were killed outside the mall, some in cars, others while walking.
Nattaya Nganiem and her family had just finished eating and were driving away when she heard gunfire.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“First I saw a woman run out from the mall hysterically,” said Nattaya, who shot video of the scene on her cellphone. “Then a motorcycle rider in front of her just ran and left his motorcycle there.”
Hundreds of people were evacuated from the mall in small batches by police while they searched for the gunman.
Shortly before midnight, police announced they had secured the above-ground portion of the mall, but were still searching for the shooter.
About 16 hours later, officials announced the gunman was fatally shot.
Thai Ministry of Defense spokesman Kongcheep told media that the first person killed was the commanding officer of the 22nd Ammunition Battalion, in which the suspect also served.
He said the gunman had fired at others at his base and took guns and ammunition before fleeing in an army Humvee.
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