One killed, 4 injured in gun attack during a funeral in Ratchaburi
Gunshots were fired at a gathering of people attending a funeral in Ratchaburi province, leaving one dead and four people injured on Monday.
Police from Photharam station were alerted to the shooting at 8pm on Monday at Wat Thamakham in Sam Reun subdistrict.
They found five injured victims as well as several bullet casings of .22 and 11mm handguns in a sermon hall for a funeral. The injured people were rushed to hospitals but one victim, Waraporn Niamraksa, succumbed to injuries.
One of the injured persons was the Don Sai subdistrict chief, who is in a critical condition. The deceased was a candidate running for mayor of Don Sai municipality in Photharam district.
People at the funeral reportedly told officials that they had heard multiple gunshots while the host was lighting candles and joss-sticks, forcing people and monks to dive for cover on the floor. Several witnesses told police the gunshots came from behind the Buddha image in the sermon hall.
Police speculated that the shooting could have been motivated by local political rivalry. They are gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses to track down the suspect.