Seven dead after murder/suicide at New Year party in Chumphon
PHOTO: Thinnakorn, right, speaks to his family following the murders
by Prasit Leelahakhunakorn
A 41 year old is dead after killing six of his relatives, including his two children aged 6 and 9 and then turning the gun on himself.
The incident happened during a new year party at their home in Chumphon.
Police were alerted to the shootings just after midnight today and, along with forensic officers and rescue workers, rushed to the scene. There they discovered the bodies of two 50 year olds and a 70 year old among fallen tables and chairs with food and drinks inside the salon (at the front of the residence) and more dead bodies inside the house. Inside they discovered the bodies of a 47 year old and a 6 and 9 year old who were the shooter’s children. A 33 year old, who sustained a gunshot wound to the stomach, was rushed to Pato Hospital.
The body of the gunman, 41 year old Sucheep Sornsang, was found in a bedroom with a single gunshot to the head leaving police to believe that he had committed suicide after killing his relatives dead.
Sucheep then pulled out the gun and shot his relatives.
Thinnakorn told police he pretended to be dead after being hit in the stomach while Sucheep went into the bedroom where he committed suicide.
Police told reporters that the murders appeared to have been committed in a fit of rage. He added that Sucheep – who was married to the family’s other daughter, 37 year old Boonnyanuch Sornsang, was resentful at the family’s alleged hostility towards him. Boonnyanuch was not present at the party.
Police have revealed that Sucheep was released two months ago from Nakhon Si Thammarat Prison where he had been jailed for three years for attempted murder. They said that his family report he was unemployed, often drunk and had threatened to kill the family many times.
SOURCE: The Nation
