Residents storm police station over shooting
JAKARTA (JP): Residents of the Johar Baru district in Central Jakarta stormed the compound of the local police station on Tuesday, following the fatal shooting of a local man by police.
The residents were armed with sharp weapons and steel rods.
"The police must take responsibility for this. The victim was an ordinary man and one of your policemen shot him to death. Look at this!" a woman from Galur subdistrict said, while displaying the bloody cap of the victim to police officers at the station.
"If you do not take action against the police officer who shot the victim, we will destroy your station," the woman shouted.
The residents were enraged by the shooting of Cecep, 18. The incident occurred at 1:45 p.m. on Jl. Abdul Gani.
Cecep was reportedly killed by an officer who was firing at a fleeing purse snatcher.
An employee at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) morgue, Rachmat, said Cecep, a resident of Galur subdistrict, died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.
The Jakarta Police identified the shooter as First Brig. B. Pandjaitan, a detective from the city police's violent crimes unit.
"Pandjaitan is currently being questioned by officers from the city police's internal affairs division, and will be sanctioned according to existing regulations. This crime will not go unpunished and the shooter will be taken to court," Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said on Tuesday.
Anton offered his deepest condolences to Cecep's family on behalf of the Jakarta Police Headquarters.
According to a police officer, a man snatched a woman's purse near Jl. Abdul Gani, and the woman began to cry for help.
"Pandjaitan, who was driving a gray Toyota Kijang van, was in the area and heard the cries of the woman. He chased after the thief, who took a turn toward Jl. Abdul Gani," the officer, who requested anonymity, said.
"Pandjaitan drew his gun and fired a shot ... just as the thief was passing by Cecep. Cecep was hit instead. We are so very sorry. We only wanted to catch the bad guy who was fleeing."
After firing his gun, Pandjaitan reportedly ran to check on the condition of Cecep. When he saw the blood, the source said, Pandjaitan carried Cecep to his van and drove him to RSCM, but Cecep died on the way to the hospital.
This is the third wrongful shooting in Greater Jakarta this year.
On February 28, First Brig. Pambudi of the West Jakarta Police shot to death Yudianto, 31, an employee of a private company, on Jl. Raya Semanan in Kalideres, West Jakarta, after mistaking him for a robber.
On April 16, residents of the Gunung Sindur district in Bogor attacked Second Brig. Joko Supriatna and Second Brig. Agus Budiono of the Bogor Police after the two shot a woman factory worker, Siti, 35. (ylt)