AN ORDER had been given to kill a Prachin Buri councillor who was shot dead at the house of veteran politician and Provincial Administration Organization (PAO) president Sunthorn Wilawan, 85, on Wednesday evening (Dec. 11) with his murder planned in advance and this leading to a shootout a there, Amarin TV quoted a senior police officer as saying today.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Akaradet Phimonsri, an assistant national police chief, said after inspecting the crime scene and holding talks with case investigators that the gunman who killed the deceased councillor, Mr. Chaimet Sitthisanitphong, 48, who is Sunthorn’s adopted son, was skilled at using weapons.
He followed training tactics by first firing shots to stop the victim and then locking the target and shooting again. However police are still working out who this person is.
The shooting had started at the second floor of the three-storey Forensic team are now determining the trajectory of the shots fired in this shootout.
There are many bullet casings and bullets in several places especially on the ground floor, he said, adding there are signs that the assault started on the second floor with a forensic report indicating that shots were fired from both within the house and outside it.
Regarding surveillance cameras, forensic team members are still checking whether they were working.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Akaradet added that at today’s meeting it was concluded that this was a “joint killing with premeditation.” This means it was planned in advance and there was division of duties. It is still being determined whether there was a single mastermind of the murder or a team planned it.
While there were policemen outside to take care of the safety of the people at this meeting, none were at the scene of the shooing. An investigation is underway to find out who they are.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Mr. Chaimet Sitthisanitphong, right, and Pol. Lt. Gen. Akaradet Phimonsri, left.
Insert: Pol. Lt. Gen. Akaradet Phimonsri. Both photos: Amarin TV
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