A 14-year-old gunman in Bangkok opened fire at innocent people at Siam Paragon Mall and killed 2 people and injuring several others.
The deceased were a 31-year-old Myanmar national who died at the hospital, and a Chinese tourist who was killed on the spot.
The victim
At the time of the shooting, the 31-year-old victim, Myanmar national Ms Moe Mynt, was working as an employee at a toy shop in the Siam Paragon Mall.
She was shot three times, once in his throat and twice on her back.
Her employer attended her funeral and told her family that she would provide them with 10,000 baht per month, equalling what the victim had been remitting back home before she was shot dead.
Father kneels down & begs for forgiveness
Following the senseless shooting, the father of the gunman visited the funeral of the 31-year-old victim at Wat Phasuk Maneechak in the Pak Kret District of Nonthaburi, in Thailand on 7 October, according to Thai Rath.
He knelt down on the ground and begged the victim’s elderly mother for forgiveness and offered an envelope with money inside, but the elderly woman rejected his offer.
She said that the money can’t compare to the life of her daughter, but she understands the father and isn’t angry at him. Rather, she blames it all on his son, the killer.
A Written Apology
According to Khaosod English, a day before visiting the funeral, the father also penned a letter apologising for his son’s actions, saying that his family and him would like to ask for forgiveness and apologise to the families of the dead, the injured and the ones who were affected.
He also addressed the medical staff members, nurses, doctors, police, government and everyone affected by the incident, saying that he regrets the impact and damage caused by his son’s shooting, as he accepted responsibility for the tragedy.
Recap
According to timeline of events provided by the Thai police via The Bangkok Post, the shooter entered Siam Paragon via BTS Link 2 at 3.35 pm, appearing as an ordinary visitor, carrying a shoulder bag, and blended into the crowd.
Security camera footage revealed that five minutes later, he made his way to M floor, where he walked into a restroom. It was during this time that he began to prepare for the horrifying act he was about to commit.
Video and still images shared on social media showed a long-haired Thai male dressed in a black shirt and camouflage pants. He was wearing a baseball cap adorned with the American flag and, alarmingly, carrying a handgun.
At 4.10 pm, gunshots resonated from inside the toilet, instantly transforming the mall’s atmosphere into one of terror and chaos. The shooter, now out in the open, continued to fire at unsuspecting shoppers.
By 4.25 pm, he had moved to the mall’s second floor, continuing his shooting spree without restraint. Panic gripped the mall, and people were desperately seeking shelter.
A few minutes later, the shooter took the escalator to the third floor, where he continued his rampage. Shoppers and staff were trapped.
He was eventually cornered by the police into a furniture shop on the 3rd floor and he then surrendered to the police, putting down his weapon.
Hundred of shoppers were seen in videos circulating online, fleeing the mall and going to the Rama I Road in the Pathum Wan district.
The mall’s entry and exit points were also locked down and the BTW Skyway was also shut down, with the Skytrain bypassing the Siam BTS station on its travel route.
Police officers were seen inside the locked down mall, along with VIPs who had arrived for a briefing, including the Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
The deputy interior minister Chada Thaiset was also seen at the scene interrogating the 14-year-old in front of the media.
Reports revealed that the suspect was a student at a private school in Bangkok, with parents who were working as teachers.
A search of his home unveiled a stash of ammunition, including 49 9mm bullets and 15 spent shells of various sizes.
The authorities also went through his phone and found videos of his practising with a gun.