Former Pattani officer attacks police vehicle with axe and knife before surrendering
A 33 year old former police officer, who had resigned three years ago, was found in a disturbed state, wielding an axe and a knife outside a house on the roadside in the Pattani province. The man had attacked a police patrol vehicle before surrendering around 4pm, yesterday.
Phunot Rueangying, Deputy Investigation Officer at Lam Pam Police Station in Phatthalung province, was alerted about a disturbed man brandishing an axe and a knife outside a residential house along the Ban Rae-Tha Samphao road in Lam Pam. Accompanied by Deputy Police Chief Samrit Chamanathurakit, he rushed to the incident spot.
They found a 33 year old man, identifiable by tattoos on his face, in an agitated state, pacing up and down the road with an axe and a short knife outside a single-storey house. Initial information revealed that the man was a former local police officer from Pattani province, who resigned about three years ago.
As the officers tried to coax the former cop into surrendering his weapons, the man shouted threats, warning police not to approach and threatening to attack anyone who did. The former cop then ran towards the police patrol truck, smashing the windows and doors with an axe, causing damage to the entire vehicle.
Despite the fracas, officers continued to negotiate with the ex-cop, and after about an hour, he regained his senses and agreed to surrender his axe and knife. He was then taken into custody for further investigation and drug testing. He was charged with damaging government property before police proceeded with the case.
The incident marks a shocking incident involving a former law enforcement officer, highlighting the challenges faced by those in the profession and the potential fallouts of untreated mental health issues.
