Freeport Employee Gunned Down in Grasberg Mine Incident Blamed on Armed Criminal Group

A PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) employee named Simson Mulia, aged 49, was fatally shot in the Grasberg mining area in Tembagapura, Mimika, Central Papua. The shooting is strongly suspected to have been perpetrated by an armed criminal group (KKB).

“The KKB shooting resulted in the death of an employee with initials SM,” stated Iptu Hempy Ona, public information officer for Mimika Police Resort, as reported on Thursday, 12 March 2026.

The deceased was an employee of the Exploration Department. Hempy reported that the victim sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

“The victim was an exploration department employee who suffered a gunshot wound to the right side of the head that penetrated through to the left ear,” he explained.

In addition to the fatality, one other employee, identified by initials AM, sustained injuries after falling whilst attempting to flee.

“Based on the initial account provided by witnesses, the victims and witness were conducting water level measurement work in the Jayapura Ex Pontil area using an operational vehicle,” he stated.

Hempy indicated that the victim’s remains are scheduled to be repatriated to a funeral home in Bandung on Thursday, 12 March. The body will be transported by Airfast aircraft.