Thai Shooter Flees Shopping Mall After Shootout With Special Forces - Reports

BANGKOK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th February, 2020) A Thai soldier who started a shooting rampage in northeastern Thailand managed to leave the shopping mall after a shootout with special forces, Thairath tv broadcaster reported.

Earlier in the day, a Thai soldier, Jakrapanth Thomma, started a mass shooting in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) between a military base, a Buddhist temple and a shopping mall, where he then held hostages for nine hours. Twenty people were killed and 31 were injured in the shooting.

The man entered into a shootout with special forces in the multi-storey car parking of the shopping center, after which he shot at a gas cylinder, setting it on fire, and disappeared from the building, the broadcaster's correspondent reported from the scene.

According to the broadcaster, two special forces servicemen were injured in the shootout. The shooter also made several shots in the street near the parking lot, it added.

Its footage shows panic in the street near the shopping center, rescuers help civilians fleeing the building.

According to the Thai Defense Ministry, the suspect is a 34-year-old man professional serviceman, a shooting instructor in his unit, and a sniper trained in special forces program.