Student accidentally kills shooting instructor in central Thailand

A beginner level student has accidentally shot dead her instructor at a shooting range yesterday in Thailand’s central province of Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok. The student, a 50 year old woman named only as Thacha, said she thought that it was a dummy round after picking up a bullet mixed with others on the floor, according to Thai media.

Officers from Klong 5 police took Tacha to the station for questioning, however, charges have not yet been filed. The police also confiscated the gun, photographed the scene, and collected witness statements. The incident happened at the 333 Shooting Range in Khlong Luang district.

The victim was 37 year old Charnchai Lunseup. Rescue workers found him unconscious at the scene after he was shot in the shouler. They performed CPR on Charnchai, and took him to Thanyaburi Hospital, but they could not revive him, and he died there. An autopsy is underway.

Several accidental shootings have happened Thailand within the past few months. Earlier this week, a teenage boy from Phitsanulok province in northern Thailand died after accidentally shooting himself in the neck. Last month, a man in northeastern Thailand accidentally shot himself in the mouth and died while shooting birds.

In February, a police officer was shot to death at a police station in Bangkok, allegedly by his close colleague who was reportedly drunk and showing off his new guns. Reports say the officers noticed that he was a bit drunk and warned to keep the gun away, but he didn’t listen. Then, the suspect played with the gun and accidentally shot one of the guns.

SOURCE: Thairath