Pub brawl turns into fatal shootout claiming five lives

Apart from Ekrin Nilbai, 19, who turned up yesterday, police said they knew the identity of another suspect. He will face an arrest warrant if he does not give himself up in the next few days, station chief Pol Colonel Manop Sukhonthaphat said.
Meanwhile, the Wat Phraya Krai police station will also be investigated because the shooting took place after 4am when Ekrin and the victims were drinking at a pub off Rama III Road, which is under its jurisdiction, said Pol Maj-General Phisit Phisutthisak, a deputy Bangkok police chief.
Drinking establishments are required to close by 1am, though the closing time is often extended to 2am.
The Rat Burana police station is investigating the case because the shooting took place on Suksawad Road, which is under its jurisdiction, though the pub in question is in an area under the Wat Phraya Krai police.
According to witnesses, the 10 victims had left the pub in a Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck and were waiting for the lights to change at the Mahai Sawan intersection before a Honda Civic stopped nearby and someone started shooting. The Honda carried six passengers, including Ekrin.
A high-speed chase ensued, which resulted in the truck hitting a tree before bouncing off to hit the traffic island. Three passengers died immediately as the impact of the collision threw them out of the truck.
Phisit said initial inspection revealed that two firearms – a .38-calibre pistol and a 6.35mm rifle – had been used. Police are also studying footage from a security camera nearby.
Manop said the Honda Civic had changed hands several times and was currently registered under Ekrin’s father’s name. The station chief also said Ekrin was already wanted by the Bang Yi Khan police station for attempted murder, and that the suspect’s claim of innocence was not believable.
Police quoted one of the victims, New Krongthong, as saying that Ekrin and his group had clashed previously. He also recounted that two armed people were seen getting out of the Honda Civic and walking towards the pickup truck after it had hit the tree before they decided to cross the street and run away.
Ekrin has so far been charged with attempted murder, carrying firearms without permission and using it in public. The officer said Ekrin had been claiming that he did not shoot and was instead trying to stop the other suspect from shooting.
Two other passengers of the pickup truck succumbed to their injuries at a hospital yesterday. Police have identified two bullet holes in the truck.
The widow of one of the victims said she lost control of the pickup after one of the wheels was shot at. She said six people were sitting in the truck’s bed and four others were in the passenger cab. She said the Honda Civic also rammed into the truck’s rear, which made the truck spin and fling the six people sitting in the bed of the truck out.