Makassar Police Chief Says IPTU N Accidentally Shot Teenager

An 18-year-old named Bertrand Eka Prasetyo died after reportedly being shot by police who were dispersing a brawl involving jelly-pellet toy guns in Makassar, South Sulawesi. Makassar City Police Chief Kombes Pol Arya Perdana said the incident occurred on Sunday, 1 March, and was immediately handled by his unit. The alleged offender and the weapon have been secured by internal police authorities. In preliminary investigations, he stated that the shooting occurred accidentally while the police were securing the victim.

“The incident happened on Sunday,” Makassar City Police Chief Kombes Pol Arya Perdana told reporters on Wednesday, 4 March.

Arya explained that the incident began around 07:00 WITA. At that time, the Rapocini Police Sector Chief reported via a handheld radio that a group of youths suspected of playing jelly-pellet toy rifles on the street had been spotted.

According to the report, the youths were said to have accosted passers-by and even assaulted and kicked pedestrians, causing public disturbance.

“These actions were very disturbing to residents,” Arya said.

Upon receiving the report of juvenile delinquency, IPTU N promptly went to the scene.

When he arrived, IPTU N found a teenager named Betran aggressively dealing with a motorcyclist.

Seeing the situation, IPTU N stepped out of his vehicle and immediately arrested Betran, while firing a warning shot, he explained.

“When IPTU N got out of the car to make the arrest, he grabbed the suspect and fired a warning shot,” he said.

However, during the arrest, Betran reportedly tried to escape and resisted. In that scenario, the pistol still held by IPTU N discharged and struck the back of the victim.

“As he struggled, the pistol still in IPTU N’s possession discharged accidentally,” he revealed.

The victim was then taken to Grestelina Hospital for initial treatment. However, due to limited medical equipment, he was referred to Bhayangkara Makassar Hospital.

“When he was at Bhayangkara Hospital, Betran had already died,” Arya said.

The dispersal and attempts to secure the victim were captured by a CCTV camera from a local resident and went viral on social media.

LBH Makassar Urges Ethical and Criminal Action

Separately, LBH Makassar has urged the National Police to discipline the Panakkukang Police Sector officer involved in the shooting, with ethical and criminal sanctions.

LBH said that, according to information it has gathered, the incident occurred on Jalan Toddopuli Raya on Sunday morning, 1 March, around 07:20 WITA in the Panakkukang district of Makassar.

“As far as we have learned, the suspected offender is a police officer with the rank IPTU. This raises serious questions about how seriously the police adhere to the Penal Code (KUHP) and the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP). LBH Makassar will support the enforcement of the law against individuals or groups suspected of criminal acts, but in proportionate policing,” LBH Makassar said in a statement on its official website.

LBH Makassar regards the rules on the use of firearms, particularly by security personnel, as very clear. Police may only use firearms in a measured manner, as a last resort, after all non-violent steps have been exhausted, and with public safety as a priority. In this incident, there are strong indications that these prerequisites were not met.

Therefore, LBH argues that the police action violated not only procedures but also constitutes an unlawful act that must be criminally and ethically accountable.

“We urge the offender to be immediately suspended and processed through criminal and ethical mechanisms, and to ensure strict penalties to prevent similar incidents from recurring,” said LBH Makassar Advocacy Chief Muhammad Ansar.

LBH Makassar also offers the victim’s family access to its support services to ensure the accountability process does not stop at ethics alone, but also proceeds criminally. They emphasised that this advocacy is crucial to guarantee the victim’s rights to justice and restitution for the victim and/or their family.