Thai man who shot 18 times at school could face attempted murder charge, says chief of police

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The chief of police in the southern Thai province of Ranong told Thai Rath that the man who shot 18 times at a school from high up at an adjacent property could face attempted murder charges.

 

The Ming Sin school in Muang district caters to people of Chinese descent and has 1,500 pupils aged from kindergarten to P6.

 

It was Sunday so a day off but it was earlier reported that some pupils were at the school doing a practice.

 

Yesterday Ranong police chief Pol Maj-Ben Chertpong Chiwapreecha went to visit the school where there was a police and DOPA presence outside and within the campus to reassure students and staff.

 

He said that the suspect is refusing to talk and named him as 43 year old Suwan Chelermwutthai.

Staff heard 18 shots.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

He used an air gun and Chertpong said that in such cases the shooter usually has other weapons and so it proved.

 

He also legally owned a 9mm gun for which he had two magazines and a .22 rifle. Both weapons have been seized as well as the air gun and will have their licenses revoked.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The assaailant is believed to have been annoyed by noise coming from the school for years.

 

Chertpong defended the use of military force to arrest the suspect saying it was a serious case that could have had worse consequences were other weapons used.

 

Taking the law into his hands like this was not correct and he said it was so serious and repeated that it could amount to attempted murder. 

 

It was certainly more serious than common assault.

 

Charges have yet to be laid in the matter. 

 

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[Gottfrid]

Might face attempted murder charge???? That should be applied every time somebody shoot one bullet.

[scorecard]

I wonder if there's ever been any check of the decibel level of the noise from the school? Maybe it is too loud?

[RichardColeman]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

He also legally owned a 9mm gun for which he had two magazines and a .22 rifle.

Thus showing the stupidity of having licenced guns. Ban all guns, or nothing. Makes a mockery of getting a licence for one if you are insane

[sammieuk1]

What do you mean could face attempted murder charges he fired 18 shots at a school hang him first then jail him for a thousand years ????

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

The chief of police in the southern Thai province of Ranong told Thai Rath that the man who shot 18 times at a school from high up at an adjacent property could face attempted murder charges

"Could" Which is why it continues.

[4MyEgo]

12 hours ago, scorecard said:

I wonder if there's ever been any check of the decibel level of the noise from the school? Maybe it is too loud?

While I can appreciate noise is annoying, if the school has approval, which I am sure it does, then it is expected that noise will be loud, as kids are kids and that;s what they do, make noise.

 

The above said, he has options, move house, or play some music, put in some Airpods, that's what I do when SomChai next door takes the covers off of his rooster cages and then lets them walk around, sure can do my head in, but hey, should I pick up an air gun and stick it to him, I think not, regardless of the noise level, I can also go for a drive to do some shopping or whatever, but to pick up a gun, regardless if it's an air gun or not is insanity, especially shooting at a school, regardless if there were kids there or not.

 

This tells me this is another guy who will become a mass shooter if he isn't assessed and put away for a period of time to teach him, that he did wrong and that is the punishment as opposed to envelopes exchanging hands while charges haven't been laid, then we find out it was a misunderstanding.