Five shot by police during street brawls<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Five men were shot by police officers during
\nsporadic brawls Sunday evening between residents of two districts
\nin the Bukit Duri area, South Jakarta, police said.<\/p>\n
City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang yesterday insisted
\nthat the officers did not intentionally try to hit the victims.<\/p>\n
After firing warning shots into the air in an attempt to stop
\nthe brawl, police fired into the ground as some of the residents
\nallegedly turned on them.<\/p>\n
\"They were just victims of bullets that ricocheted,\" Aritonang
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the victims, who were all wounded in the leg, were
\nbeing treated at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central
\nJakarta and Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The five were identified as Tommy, M. Fatoni, Rizki, Sucipto
\nand Ahmad Suryatna.<\/p>\n
The sporadic brawls reportedly took place late Sunday near the
\nBukit Duri market after a heated dispute over an afternoon soccer
\nmatch between the teams of the two districts.<\/p>\n
Aritonang said the brawls, involving mostly young men from the
\ntwo districts, started around 10 p.m. and lasted until 2 a.m
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
He said many of the brawl's participants ignored the officers'
\norders to stop fighting.<\/p>\n
\"Some started to attack the officers instead,\" Aritonang said.<\/p>\n
\"I have heard that many disputes and brawls have taken place
\nbetween the youth in the two districts,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Police are still not sure as to who started the brawl and why,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Dozens of houses located near the brawl sites were damaged,
\nespecially their windows.<\/p>\n
\"Those involved in the brawl indiscriminately threw stones in
\nan apparent attempt to vent their anger,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said several people had been questioned but that no one had
\nbeen held responsible for the brawl.<\/p>\n
\"It's very scary. I mean, how could they do such things just
\nbecause of a soccer match,\" said Aritonang.<\/p>\n
He said the situation was now under control.<\/p>\n
\"Everything is back to normal. We have officers deployed there
\nto maintain public order and prevent any new clashes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said his office would help residents hold a meeting between
\nthe two youth groups to settle their differences. (cst)<\/p>",
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