'Robber' shot dead at traffic light

JAKARTA (JP): Police officers shot dead a man for allegedly attempting to rob a female motorist at a traffic light in North Jakarta late on Tuesday, city police spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang said on Wednesday.

The victim, identified as Hadi Suyono alias Gareng, 22, was shot for ignoring a police warning shot when he tried to run away after snatching a handbag from the female motorist on Jl. Lodan at about 10 p.m., Aritonang said.

"Hadi, who used a knife and a hammer wrapped in newspaper, died of two shot wounds to his left foot and chest."

He said that just before the shooting Hadi was seen approaching a Sidekick van driven by Novi, 37, a resident of Tebet in South Jakarta, that had stopped at a traffic light.

After knocking on the vehicle's side window, Hadi gave a sign asking for money, but Novi did not respond. He then smashed his hammer against the window. "Hadi threatened her with his knife so Novi had no choice but to give him her bag," he said.

As Hadi tried to flee the scene, Novi's shouts for help alerted bystanders who flocked to the intersection.

"Police officers who happened to be in the area chased Hadi. First they fired a warning shot in the air, but were later forced to shoot him as he ignored it," Aritonang said.

"The officers tried to save the suspect by rushing him to a nearby hospital but he died before reaching there," he said. (emf)