Teen gunman kills Myanmar girl in Phuket shooting
A tragic shooting incident in Phuket resulted in the death of a young Myanmar woman, sparking a police manhunt for the teenage gunman involved.
Police in Kathu district, Phuket, received a report about a fatal shooting incident. The incident occurred while Kittipong Jantawong, a 27 year old man, was driving a white Toyota pickup truck with the license plate บม 641 Phuket. Alongside him was 21 year old Nattawut Hemra seated in the front passenger seat, and a 15 year old Myanmar girl named Namphueng, who was sitting on Nattawut’s lap.
The group was travelling from Patong towards Phuket City. Approximately 50 metres from the Sikor intersection on Phraphuketkheaw Road, Kathu district, a motorbike with two individuals approached.
The suspects, identified as 17 year old Bid and 19 year old Son, rode the motorbike. One of them fired a short shotgun at the left side of the pickup truck, where Nattawut and Namphueng were seated.
The window on that side was mostly open, and the bullet tragically hit Namphueng in the head, leading to her death while being transported to the hospital, reported KhaoSod.
A witness, Lo, who owns a local restaurant, described the harrowing scene.
“I was washing dishes in front of my restaurant when I heard a loud bang, like a firecracker. I looked up and saw the pickup truck stuck at the red light. The motorbike followed closely, and then one of the riders got off and shot at the truck.
“After the shooting, the assailant got back on the motorcycle, which then sped off towards Patong. The pickup truck initially turned left, then circled back to the intersection before turning right towards Patong.”
Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage and have called in the victims to give statements as part of the investigation to apprehend the suspects and bring them to justice.
