Medan shooting puzzles police

Medan shooting puzzles police

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Medan Police have yet to uncover clues
relating to the shooting of Bekman Hutabarat, chairman of the
provincial office of the Association of Indonesian Suppliers on
Aug. 14.

Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Badrodin Haiti said on Thursday
that police were still questioning witnesses.

"The motive for the shooting is still unknown and we have yet
to focus (our investigation) on specific persons or groups,"
Badrodin said.

Police have found the shell of a bullet and confirmed that it
was fired from an FN 32 hand gun.

The FN 32 is not used by either the military or police.

Hutabarat, 51, was shot by an unknown person at his residence
on Jl. Sei Bingei No. 4/49, Medan, at 6:30 a.m. local time on
Aug. 14.

Badrodin said that none of the witnesses being questioned saw
the shooting clearly. "Therefore, we do not have details of the
attackers."

M. Br. Pangaribuan, one of the witnesses, just stated that he
saw two men on a Honda Astrea motorcycle approaching Hutabarat
and shoot him while he was warming up his car. The rider was
wearing a helmet while the pillion rider was not.

"It was the pillion rider who shot Hutabarat. But I just saw
everything at a glance," Pangaribuan said, adding that he rushed
to provide assistance seconds after the shooter escaped.

Hutabarat is being treated at the Gleneagles Hospital
intensive care unit.

The team of doctors were trying to retrieve the bullet which
hit his right arm and lodged in his back.

Another shooting took place when an unknown person or persons
shot Sion Ginting, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
member of the Tanah Karo regency legislative council. Ginting was
on his way home when he was shot. He survived the attack.

Police still have no leads on Ginting's shooting. (42/sur)