In a harrowing incident that unfolded at the upscale Siam Paragon mall in the heart of Bangkok, a 14-year-old boy was apprehended following a shooting that claimed the lives of two individuals and left five others injured. The distressing event sent shockwaves through the crowded shopping center, causing hundreds of shoppers to flee in fear.
Eyewitnesses recounted chaotic scenes as gunshots rang out within the mall at approximately 4:30 pm local time. This tragic occurrence comes just days before the somber first anniversary of Thailand’s deadliest modern massacre. Last year, a former policeman armed with both a firearm and a knife perpetrated a horrific attack on a nursery in the country’s north, resulting in the loss of 24 children and 12 adults.
According to National Police Chief Torsak Sukwimol, two victims of the mall shooting were identified as a Chinese national and an individual from Myanmar. Additionally, five people sustained injuries in the incident.
Law enforcement promptly took the 14-year-old suspect into custody. However, the young assailant appeared to be in a state of confusion, rendering him unable to undergo immediate questioning. Torsak explained, “He is a mental patient at Rajavithi hospital and he has not been taking his medication. He said it felt like someone told him to ‘go shoot people.’ It’s like there’s another him. This is what we got from the initial talk with him.”
Video footage captured the arrest of the long-haired teenage boy, who was clad in a black shirt, glasses, and a cap adorned with a motif featuring the US flag. Yuthana Srettanan, director of the Erawan Emergency Centre, disclosed that all the victims, except one, were women.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin paid a visit to the scene of the shooting and extended his condolences to the wounded individuals currently hospitalized. Srettha also took to social media to convey his sympathies, mentioning that he had engaged with the Chinese ambassador in this regard.
This tragic incident has shaken the community and raised concerns about the mental health aspects of the young suspect, as authorities seek to unravel the details surrounding the shooting.
