Malaysia Air Force officer goes on shooting spree kills 3 before killing self

On Friday, an Air Force officer went on a shooting rampage in Malaysia, killing three colleagues before shooting himself, officials said. The officer was reportedly under a COVID-19 quarantine. As per the police in eastern Sarawak state on Borneo island, the shootings occurred at a security post on an Air Force Base in the state.

The police have yet to ascertain the motive behind the act. An initial investigation revealed the gunman had snatched firearms from the security post before going on a rampage, said Sarawak Deputy Police Commissioner Mancha Anak Ata. "One of the victims had tried to calm him down but was shot in the stomach. The gunman then entered the post and shot two officers, killing them on the spot,” he said, adding that the gunman then put the gun to his chin and killed himself. 

Two killed on the spot while one succumbed to injuries in hospital

The deceased persons have been identified as Corporal Ho Swee Boon from Lundu, Cpl Mohamad Ehsan Sehamat from Asajaya; Cpl Sharif Mohd Siddiq Al-Attas Wan Sabli from Kuching and aircraftman Luk Nesly Anak Nabau from Sibu. As per the report, another police official, Sudirman Kram, stated that the gunman asked those at the post "whether they wanted to live or die?" He allegedly killed two men on the spot while the third managed to drive to a health clinic before succumbing to his injuries. The Royal Malaysian Air Force also appealed to all quarters not to speculate until the police concluded their investigations, and said that they would set up an investigation board to ascertain the cause of the incident.  

Fatal shootings are unusual due to strict gun ownership laws 

It is worth mentioning that Malaysia is a peaceful country of approx 32 million people where fatal shootings are unusual owing to strict gun ownership laws. Meanwhile, the country is currently battling its worst virus surge driven by the highly contagious Delta variant. Malaysia has been under a lockdown since June due to a worsening outbreak, with new daily cases exceeding 20,000. Total confirmed infections have reached over 1.3 million, with close to 12,000 deaths.  

Image Credits: AP