Carnage in Korat as soldier guns down 20 in shooting spree
Soldiers and police have launched a joint hunt for Sergeant-Major First Class Jakrapanth Thomma, who allegedly went on a shooting rampage in Nakhon Ratchasima province, gunning down at least 20 people with some 31 people injured.
The suspect is reported to have sneaked into Terminal 21 shopping mall in Muang district and taken some people hostage there. Soldiers have cordoned off the area.
Police in Korat were informed at 3pm on Saturday about the shooting in a house in Muang district. At the scene of the crime, Colonel Anantaroj Krasae, 48, from the Surathampitak barracks was found shot dead along with Anong Mitchan, 65. Colonel Anantroj was the commander of Jakrapanth and Anong was, according to reports, the mother-in-law of the slain commander.
Jakrapanth also reportedly shot at some soldiers in the barracks and later fled the scene of the crime in a humvee. Along the way, he again went on a shooting spree that left two police and two civilians injured.
The suspect reportedly fired at a cooking gas cylinder and triggered a loud explosion and continued to fire with his gun.
Unconfirmed reports said the suspect had taken many people hostage in the mall.
Police are reportedly trying to get the suspect's mother, who hails from Chaiyaphum province, to convince her son to surrender.
The Army has told media outlets to stop providing live coverage in order to avoid alerting the suspect about details of the security officers’ plans.
Sources said the suspect had posted a selfie showing him holding a rifle on Facebook earlier.