Indonesian Military Investigates 10 Witnesses Regarding Stray Bullets at Padang State University

The investigation into the stray bullet incident that caused two people to sustain gunshot wounds at the Padang State University (UNP) campus is ongoing, involving relevant authorities including the Kodam XX/Tuanku Imam Bonjol. The Military Police team (Pomdam) of Tuanku Imam Bonjol has interrogated 10 witnesses, but has yet to conclude the exact source of the bullets that injured the victims.

In the preliminary investigation, the team has successfully recovered one projectile extracted from a victim’s body. “We from Kodam XX/Tuanku Imam Bonjol are continuing our investigation regarding the incident. We have recorded and taken statements from approximately 10 people,” stated the Head of Kodam XX/Tuanku Imam Bonjol, Colonel Kav Taufiq, in a briefing to journalists at the Kodam Headquarters, Padang, on Wednesday (3/6).

He explained that the examination of witnesses has been conducted from the time of the incident on Tuesday (2/6) through to today. “We conducted them during the incident and the following day. The witnesses include about 3 or 4 companions of Nova (a female victim), as well as personnel who were conducting activities on that day,” he clarified.

Taufiq, accompanied by the Head of Pomdam Tuanku Imam Bonjol, Colonel Laksono, admitted that many questions remain regarding the handling of the case. One of the primary concerns is identifying the suspected source of the weapon that caused the incident.

Regarding the suspected stray shots, Taufiq stated that they have only found one projectile within a victim’s body so far. His team is still searching for other potential projectiles, as there were two victims in the incident. “For now, we have only found one projectile. Whether there is another projectile, given there were two victims, is what we are currently investigating. We are continuing to gather facts on the ground,” he said.

“There are still many questions regarding this incident that must be answered, so the leadership has instructed us to immediately find the factual data. This is particularly important as there were shooting exercises taking place at the same time. We ask for patience from the media; please give us time to conduct a more in-depth investigation,” he added.