Suspected burglar killed in shoot-out

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Police carrying out investigations at the scene yesterday.

Police carrying the suspect’s body after the shooting incident at KKIP yesterday.

Razarudin (second right) showing the recovered .38 pistol as Chandra (right) looks on.

KOTA KINABALU: A suspected burglar was killed in a shootout with police at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) here early yesterday morning.

The suspect, who had no identification document and was believed to be in his 30s, sustained two gunshot wounds on his head and chest in the 2am incident.

State Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Razarudin Husain said a .38 pistol was found at the scene.

“Police also recovered eight bullets, five inside the chamber and three from the suspect’s pocket,” he said, adding that three of the bullets in the chamber had been fired.

Razarudin said this at a press conference at the city police headquarters in Karamunsing yesterday. Also present was city police chief ACP M. Chandra.

He said patrol police spotted the suspect on a motorcycle acting suspiciously near the 1Borneo Hypermall.

When the police ordered the suspect to stop for a routine check, he immediately sped off towards KKIP.

The police then chased after the suspect and some six kilometres away, the suspect crashed into a ditch, he added.

As they were approaching the suspect, he fired a couple of shots at them, forcing them to take cover  with their vehicle.

“My men were forced to fire back in self-defence,” he said.

When the shooting finally died down, police went to check and found the suspect lying face down on the ground.

“The suspect died at the scene after sustaining two gunshot wounds, one on his head and the other on his chest,” said Razarudin.

He said none of his men was injured.

Razarudin said the police found a backpack with a machete and tools believed used for breaking into houses.

He said the police believed the suspect was involved in burglaries and house break-ins around Sepanggar area but a thorough investigation would be carried out as there was no identification found on the suspect.

The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.