Five shot by police during street brawls

JAKARTA (JP): Five men were shot by police officers during sporadic brawls Sunday evening between residents of two districts in the Bukit Duri area, South Jakarta, police said.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang yesterday insisted that the officers did not intentionally try to hit the victims.

After firing warning shots into the air in an attempt to stop the brawl, police fired into the ground as some of the residents allegedly turned on them.

"They were just victims of bullets that ricocheted," Aritonang said.

He said the victims, who were all wounded in the leg, were being treated at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta and Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta.

The five were identified as Tommy, M. Fatoni, Rizki, Sucipto and Ahmad Suryatna.

The sporadic brawls reportedly took place late Sunday near the Bukit Duri market after a heated dispute over an afternoon soccer match between the teams of the two districts.

Aritonang said the brawls, involving mostly young men from the two districts, started around 10 p.m. and lasted until 2 a.m yesterday.

He said many of the brawl's participants ignored the officers' orders to stop fighting.

"Some started to attack the officers instead," Aritonang said.

"I have heard that many disputes and brawls have taken place between the youth in the two districts," he added.

Police are still not sure as to who started the brawl and why, he said.

Dozens of houses located near the brawl sites were damaged, especially their windows.

"Those involved in the brawl indiscriminately threw stones in an apparent attempt to vent their anger," he said.

He said several people had been questioned but that no one had been held responsible for the brawl.

"It's very scary. I mean, how could they do such things just because of a soccer match," said Aritonang.

He said the situation was now under control.

"Everything is back to normal. We have officers deployed there to maintain public order and prevent any new clashes," he said.

He said his office would help residents hold a meeting between the two youth groups to settle their differences. (cst)