Body of Freeport shooting victim transported to Jakarta
Timika — The body of Simson Mulia, an employee of CV Mpeigelah, who was fatally shot by unknown perpetrators in the Grasberg open-pit mine area in Tembagapura, Mimika, Central Papua on Thursday morning, has been flown to Jakarta for burial in his hometown of Bandung, West Java.
Tembagapura Police Chief AKP Firman stated that the deceased’s body was transported by Airfast aircraft from Timika to Jakarta, accompanied by officers from the Criminal Investigation Unit of Tembagapura Police Station and investigation personnel from PT Freeport Indonesia.
Simson, aged 48, died on Wednesday (11 March 2026) after being shot by unknown assailants whilst travelling in an operational light vehicle numbered 4446. He was struck by a bullet in the right ear that penetrated through to the left ear.
Investigations were immediately launched, with the Crime Task Force Amole, Mimika Police, and Tembagapura Police Station conducting a crime scene examination of the Grasberg open-pit mine area on Thursday morning, led directly by the Head of Criminal Investigation at Mimika Police.
Tembagapura Police Chief stated that investigators are still awaiting results from the crime scene examination to determine the exact circumstances of the shooting. He could not yet confirm which group was responsible for the shooting.
However, based on available information, the Grasberg open-pit mining area frequently serves as a transit route not only for residents from Intan Jaya and Ilaga travelling to nearby villages around Tembagapura, but also for armed criminal groups. “This is indeed a common crossing point for them when coming from Intan Jaya or Ilaga, and also when returning. Employees have often seen residents passing through the area,” he explained.
The Tembagapura Police Chief believes that PT Freeport management will request additional security personnel to ensure the safety of employees working in the Grasberg open-pit and underground mining areas located nearby.
PT Freeport management expressed condolences for the incident. “The entire PTFI family deeply mourns the loss of our colleague Simson Mulia, who died in this incident. We extend our deepest sympathies and support to his family,” stated VP Corporate Communications of PT Freeport Indonesia Katri Krisnati.
Management confirmed continued coordination with government security forces to fully investigate the case whilst ensuring the safety of all employees. “The safety and security of all our employees and all parties in our operational area remains our top priority,” Katri said.