At least 50 shots were reportedly fired by a 44-year-old gunman near Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand on the morning of 14th February 2020.
Following Thai PBS News, at around 8:30 a.m. this morning, loud gunshots could be heard on the road of Chula Soi 10 in the Pathum Wan area. Police managed to identify the suspect as Ekkachai Charuekslip, who sent pedestrians into a panicked frenzy when he started firing his handgun at multiple directions from a sports equipment store.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they said that there was no report of any injury but an eyewitness said the gunman was pointing his firearm at pedestrians at one point.
“At first he was shooting into the sky. He fired three shots. And then he aimed at my direction. I could hear sounds of metal clanging,” said the witness, as reported by Khasod English.
The police were quick to take action as they closed off the alley where the gunman was hiding, warning members of the public to stay clear of the affected area as the commando team proceeded their operation.
Ekkachai was successfully detained by 26-year-old Arintaraj, the leader of the same commando team that recently took down Korat, the soldier that went on a shooting spree just days ago, killing 29 victims in Thailand’s worst ever mass shooting.
It was later discovered that the suspect was experiencing immense stress from family problems and left the house with his firearm in the morning after having an argument with his family.
While Kitsana Phatanacharoen, the police spokesman at the scene, said that the incident is not another “mass shooting”, as circulated by other social sites, there remains a deep fear that this is only one of the shootings inspired by the Korat’s mass shooting spree.
Thankfully, nobody was injured during the incident. Hopefully this is the last of these scary shootings.
Also read: Real-Life Hero: Brave 18yo Dies Saving 8 Lives From Thai Mass Shooter Who Killed 29