Two teenagers have been charged with attempted murder following a street shootout in Saphan Hin, east of Phuket Town.
The clash between the two youth gangs resulted in one teen being hospitalised with a head gunshot wound and an innocent bystander sustaining a minor shoulder injury.
The Phuket City Police were alerted to the gunfire at 3:10 am on January 3, after a bullet hit the official residence of the Phuket Marine Police chief. Investigating officers discovered a shattered window and a bullet hole in the curtain, though the chief was not present during the shooting.
Simultaneously, the Phuket City Police Investigation Unit was informed by Vachira Phuket Hospital that a 17 year old, named by Police as ‘Mr Kai’, had arrived with a gunshot wound to the head. Another resident with a minor shoulder injury also sought treatment at the same hospital, apparently an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire..
The shootout originated near Bang Yai Canal at Saphan Hin involving two groups of teens. One group, seated by the canal, was confronted by another group from Koh Siray on motorbikes. The unresolved dispute escalated when a Koh Siray gang member shot at the teens who were sitting by the canal.
The Bang Yai group fled on their motorbikes, resulting in Mr. Kai’s head injury and an innocent resident being caught in the crossfire.
The Koh Siray gang fled the scene, but with the help of CCTV footage Phuket City Police located and arrested two members in Wichit at 7 pm. The arrested individuals, identified as 18 year old ‘Mr Phu’, the motorbike driver, and another 18 year old ‘Mr King’, who allegedly fired the gun, were found with a homemade firearm and a discharged shotgun shell casing.
The two young men claimed “self-defense”, stating that the other group initiated the gunfire. Both have been charged with attempted murder, and the investigation is ongoing.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Phuket News
