Police Reveal Trigger for Teenager Hitting Brother with Hammer to Death in North Jakarta

Police have revealed the motive behind the incident in which a teenager, MAH (16), in Kelapa Gading Utara, Kelapa Gading District, North Jakarta, hit his own brother, MAR (21), on the head with a hammer, resulting in his death. The trigger was the victim leaving his personal belongings in the perpetrator’s room.

“Actually, the trigger was that the older brother put some personal belongings in the younger brother’s room. Things like toiletries and towels,” said the Head of the Child, Women and Family Protection Unit (PPA-PPO) of the North Jakarta Metro Police, Kompol Ni Luh Sri Arsini, on Thursday (26/2/2026).

The mother had reprimanded the victim for placing his belongings there. However, the victim did not immediately respond, which annoyed the perpetrator.

“The older brother didn’t immediately move the items. When their mother reprimanded him, the older brother responded in a way that was unpleasant for the younger brother,” she said.

The perpetrator then took a hammer from the kitchen and hit his brother on the head while he was feeding the animals.

“That was the trigger for him to become very angry. He then immediately took a hammer from the kitchen and hit his brother on the head while his brother was feeding the animals,” she added.

The incident was reported to have occurred in the Kelapa Gading area, North Jakarta, on Tuesday (24/2) afternoon. Police are conducting an autopsy to determine the exact cause of the victim’s death.

Watch also the video “After 2 Months on the Run, the Murderer of His Younger Brother in Makassar is Arrested”

(rdh/dek)