One shot dead, 3 injured in grocery store shootout

JAKARTA (JP): In a dramatic shootout, four men were shot, one to death, both inside and outside a minimarket located in the building of the Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) on Jl. Kramat Raya in Central Jakarta on Sunday evening.

Central Jakarta Police Chief Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang said on Sunday that the shootings had claimed the life of marine officer Chief. Sgt. Aliman, 44, who had shot a police officer, and was shot back in turn, to death.

"Police had arrived in Senen to quell a clash between two unidentified groups... while we were trying to calm both groups down, one man took out a gun, and shot one of my officers, Agus S.," Mathius said on Sunday.

"Agus shot back, and the man who shot him, fell."

Mathius did not deny or confirm the involvement of Ansor, the youth wing of the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).

Sources at the Central Jakarta Police identified the other three men who were shot as Adj. First. Insp. Agus Sunardi, an officer of the Central Jakarta Police; civilians Rustam and Silvester, who were shot in the chest and hand respectively.

Five people are being questioned over the shootings.

A source said that the incident started with one meeting.

He said that Ansor Chief in Demak, Central Java, Ashadi, and NU auxiliary group (Banser) chief of the Karang Tengah district in Demak, Iswanto, had taken Aliman with them, to meet with Ansor head Office Chief in Jakarta, Aris Junaidi, at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

"The three wanted to meet Aris, to discuss accommodation fees in some hotel, over some meeting... we don't understand, how they actually started to fight," the source told The Jakarta Post.

"Therefore, to calm things down, Aliman took two Banser members present in the Ansor head office, aside, to discuss the matter. Aliman took them to the second floor of the office's building, where the minimarket is."

Another police source said that at the minimarket, Aliman, Rustam and Silvester started a verbal fight. Aliman, the source said, had a gun and a sickle with him, which he took out, and put on the top of the minimarket cashier's desk.

"Suddenly, Aliman took the gun, and shot both Rustam and Silvester, inside the minimarket, shocking everybody. The two men were hit in the chest and hand respectively. Someone immediately notified the police," the source said.

"The police call was taken by First. Brig. Roni. Roni arrived at the scene, and tried to speak with Aliman, who was already outside the Ansor office. Aliman started showing the gun at Roni's face. Agus Sunardi happened to be shopping in the area."

Agus, the source said, went behind Aliman and put his arm around Aliman's neck, but Aliman was quick.

He immediately turned to face Agus, and shot him twice, the source said.

"Once in the stomach and then the chest... while Agus was falling, he took his gun and shot Aliman. Aliman was then mobbed by masses. He died. Agus was taken first to Saint Carolus Hospital, and then to the Kramatjati National Police hospital." (ylt)