Bail unlikely for SWAT officer who allegedly shot one dead, injured two others
A Trang SWAT member who allegedly shot dead a man and injured two others inside a pub early on Tuesday is unlikely to be given bail.
Pol Sgt-Major Chutipon Nakkaew or “Sergeant Bird”, a member of the provincial Special Weapons and Tactics police force, turned himself in at Trang police station in Muang district early on Wednesday after authorities launched a hunt for the gunman responsible for the local pub shooting.
The incident took place inside the Country Home pub in Trang’s Muang district at 1.13am.
Chutipon reportedly confessed that he fired multiple shots from a police standard issue 9mm Glock19 handgun at Jitakorn Kongchan, 32, after a quarrel and stray bullets hit the victim’s friend, Ekkapoj Phetrat, 34, and another pubgoer, Phisit Aphiwanphakdee, 48. Jitakorn was killed on the spot, while the other two were injured.
Chutipon then fled the scene in a car, picked up a M4 carbine and a bullet-proof vest from his residence in the Trang police compound, reportedly for “protection”, then went into hiding in a forest about 1.5km away from the residence, before deciding to turn himself in.
Chutipon reportedly said the quarrel was sparked by him accidentally bumping into Jitakorn’s table as he returned to his own table after stepping out for a smoke. A quarrel led to pushing and shoving by both parties, before ending in the shooting.
Provincial Police Region 9 commissioner Pol Lt-General Nanthadet Yoinual said on Wednesday that Chutipon has been charged with murder and carrying and discharging firearms in a public place without proper cause. Investigators advised against granting him bail, he said.
All superiors of the suspect will be placed under disciplinary investigation, Nanthadet said.
According to him, the police are deeply sorry for the incident and promised to employ stricter measures on firearm usage by police officers.
