KINABATANGAN: A 40-year-old Filipino was injured after police shot at him for trying to attack them at 5.30pm on Wednesday.
District police chief DSP Martin Lugu said the suspect, identified as Alan Sanusa, was shot on his left leg after threatening the police with a machete and a wooden stick.
He said the police were alerted by the public on several suspicious men at an estate since six days ago. The police had tried to trace the group but failed.
However, he said during an intelligence operation at the forest reserve near Ladang Melabau, the suspect was seen walking out of the oil palm estate adjacent to the forest reserve with a machete on his right hand and a wooden stick on his left hand.
“Upon seeing the suspect, the police introduced themselves and ordered the suspect to cooperate and do nothing. The suspect, however, acted aggressively by brandishing a machete,” Martin said.
The suspect then ran towards the police threatening them with the machete.
Worried about their safety, the police fired a warning shot into the air. However, the suspect resisted and continued to attack the police personnel who then fired at the suspect’s left leg.
The suspect, who has no valid identification document, was then sent to the Kinabatangan Hospital before being referred to Duchess of Kent Hospital, Sandakan.
In the incident, police confiscated a machete with its cover and a sharp wooden stick, Martin said.
He said the case would be investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.