A soldier who killed 26 individuals in a gun rampage within the Thai metropolis of Nakhon Ratchasima has been shot useless by the safety forces, Thai police say.
Jakraphanth Thomma on Saturday killed his commanding officer earlier than stealing weapons from a army camp.
The suspect continued his assault on the streets and in a procuring centre in Nakhon Ratchasima, often known as Korat.
The gunman, who posted materials to social media, was shot useless after being cornered all evening within the constructing.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha gave the upper loss of life toll on Sunday, a rise from an earlier determine of 20. Fifty-seven persons are wounded.
“It is unprecedented in Thailand, and I want this to be the last time this crisis happens,” he stated, after visiting the wounded at a hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima.
He stated the motive for the assault seemed to be Jakraphanth’s grudge over his perception that he had been cheated in a property deal.
Public Well being Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on his Fb web page on Sunday morning, congratulating the safety forces for his or her actions within the north-eastern Thai city.
“Thank you police and army for ending the situation. Shooter shot dead!!!”
What occurred on the procuring centre?
Shortly after 03:00 native time (20:00 GMT on Saturday) gunfire was heard because the safety forces raided the constructing, making an attempt to dislodge the gunman.
A number of individuals have been led out of the centre, however there have been considerations that extra individuals have been being held hostage.
At 09:30 (02:30 GMT) on Sunday, police confirmed that the gunman had been shot useless, however thus far there aren’t any extra particulars about how the operation concluded.
Earlier studies stated the gunman, aged 32, had tried to flee through the again of the constructing.
The suspect’s mom was additionally dropped at the procuring centre to attempt to persuade him to present himself up.
One of many individuals freed informed the BBC how she and others hid in a rest room on the fourth ground, earlier than fleeing to the second and hiding underneath a restaurant desk for 3 hours, listening to a minimum of 4 gunshots earlier than she noticed some troopers and will get to security.
Charlie Crowson, a trainer of English who lives in Nakhon Ratchasima, informed the BBC there have been “bodies on the streets” of the usually peaceable city.
He stated that considered one of his girlfriend’s former college students was amongst these killed within the assault that lasted for a lot of hours.
How did the assault unfold?
It started at about 15:30 native time on Saturday (08:30 GMT) on the Suatham Phithak army camp, the place the commanding officer, named by the Bangkok Publish as Col Anantharot Krasae, was killed.
The Publish stated a 63-year-old girl, Col Anantharot’s mother-in-law, and one other soldier have been additionally killed there.
The suspect seized arms and ammunition from the camp earlier than taking a Humvee-type automobile.
He then opened fireplace at various websites earlier than arriving at Terminal 21 at about 18:00 native time (11:00 GMT).
Native media footage appeared to indicate the suspect getting out of his automobile and firing pictures as individuals fled.
CCTV footage confirmed him contained in the procuring centre with a raised rifle.
What did the suspect put up on social media?
He posted on his social media accounts throughout the assault, with one put up on Fb asking whether or not he ought to give up.
He had earlier posted a picture of a pistol with three units of bullets, together with the phrases “it is time to get excited” and “nobody can avoid death”.
Fb has now taken the web page down.
It stated: “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and the community affected by this tragedy in Thailand. There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity, nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack.”
