A FORMER army conscript who shot dead a convenience store worker then barged into a field hospital in Pathum Thani province and killed a Covid-19 patient before heading south in a white pickup truck has been arrested at his grandmother’s house in Ranong province, Siam Rath newspaper said this afternoon (June 24).
Several police units laid siege to the house in Pak Nam sub-district of this province then managed to arrest him.
Police said the suspect, Mr. Kawin Saengnilkul, 23, had just been discharged from the army in Lopburi province and was angry at having been beaten up by his trainers.
Pathum Thani Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosoom and Pol. Maj. Gen. Chayut Marat, head of Pathum Thani provincial police, said the suspect was the same person who had shot dead Mr Rattawit Santikuptapong, 32, a worker at a convenience store in Ladprao Soi 25 at 2 a.m.
After the first killing he stormed the field hospital at Princess Mother National Institute for Drug Abuse Treatment and killed Mr. Suksan (last name withheld), 54, who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19.
Police spokesman Pol. Maj. Gen. Yingyot Thepchamnong said the suspect and his friend Mr. Uran Honak went to this convenience store at 10.30 p.m. last night and bought some beer which they took to drink at Garden Inn Hotel.
They returned to the convenience store at 11 a.m. to buy more beer but dropped some cans which burst open. The store worker insisted that they had to pay for the split beer but the manager told him not to charge them.
The two of them returned at 2 a.m. and shot Mr. Ratthawit in the back three times, killing him on the spot because he had wanted to charge them more for the split beer.
They then escaped down Ladprao road and went to the field hospital where they shot dead the patient.
A background check revealed that the suspect had undergone psychiatric treatment at Phyathai 2 Hospital and is the same person who killed the patient at the field hospital.
Pol Maj Gen Chayut said the former army conscript, armed with two pistols, is violent and stressed out which may have led to the killings.
Meanwhile Sanook.com said Ejan news site managed to reach the suspect and this is what he said:
“I’m freaking out now, I’m crazy because I can’t cope with being pressured by this bad society. I’m sorry, I was hurt and it turned me this way, that’s all.”
Kawin added that the reason he stormed the field hospital is because of past involvement with this institute.
“I was an abused junkie and it turned me this way. I didn’t know there was a field hospital there, I didn’t know the dead person was a Covid patient.
“I have stayed there before and was attacked, it left a mark in my heart. I want to apologise to everyone I hurt. I don’t want to surrender because I am afraid of being hurt again.”
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The suspect after his arrest in Ranong province and the weapons he had in his possession. Photos: Siam Rath
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