Student mistakenly shot by police during street brawl

Student mistakenly shot by police during street brawl

JAKARTA (JP): A junior high school student died of a gunshot wound to the head believed to have been mistakenly fired by a police sergeant during a street brawl in Cempaka Putih in Central Jakarta Thursday.

The victim was identified as Yusuf Gunawan, alias Ujang, 15, a student at the Pergunas private junior high school and a resident of Cempaka Baru.

Yusuf died at the emergency unit of the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta at 9 p.m. after doctors failed to save him.

The brawl reportedly took place at 3:30 p.m.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang confirmed yesterday that the internal affairs department was investigating the shooting and that two officers were being questioned.

Aritonang, however, refused to name the officers, who were assigned to the Bekasi Police Precinct, or relate the chain of events during the incident.

"We're still investigating the case," was all he could say.

Separately, Bekasi Police chief Lt. Col. Adjie Rustam Ramdja confirmed yesterday that the two police officers being held at the internal affairs office following the incident were his men.

"They went straight to internal affairs after the incident took place," said Adjie without further elaboration.

Meanwhile, a police source identified the two officers as First Sgt. Yul and First Sgt. Arf.

"Our preliminary investigation has indicated that it was Yul who shot the victim. He was also the one who fired the warning shots in a bid to stop the brawl," said the officer who asked for anonymity.

Arf was also being questioned as a witness, he said.

The officer explained that the two sergeants spotted the fight while escorting bank employees during a cash delivery.

Yul decided to break up the fight, while Arf stayed to guard the bank's car, he said.

"The fight apparently involved some students of a technical high school against local youths who usually handle the traffic flow at a U-turn section near the brawl site," said the officer.

Yul was quoted as telling investigators that he fired some warning shots and finally fired a single shot which hit the victim.

"Yul made the shot because people involved in the brawl started to surround and attack him, especially after the warning shots," he said.

The officer, however, did not explain whether Yusuf was either involved in the brawl or threatening Yul.

"We haven't finished our investigation," he said.

Harun, chief of the neighborhood where Yusuf lived, said the victim was asked by his mother, Elin Kuryakun, 43, to buy some bananas at the nearby Cempaka Putih market.

"The bananas were going to be used to make a desert to break the family's fast," he said.

Harun said he considered Yusuf a nice boy who had always been helpful when asked to do favors by adults.

He said the brawl was taking place when Yusuf passed by the main street -- Jl. Letjen Soeprapto -- exactly in front of Cempaka Sari hotel.

"The boy apparently was not involved in the brawl, he just passed by when the brawl was taking place," said Harun.

Rizal, 22, a resident of Kampung Bugis, said he witnessed the shooting.

He said it occurred on Jl. Siaga II, a small, quiet road near Jl. Letjen Soeprapto, he said.

"I was standing behind the policeman, just about ten steps away from him," he said.

Rizal admitted he was also running to avoid people involved in the brawl.

He said the officer chased Yusuf who was running away in apparent fear.

"The policeman aimed the gun at Yusuf, I think from a distance of less than 500 meters, not in the air but at the victim. Yusuf fell down in front of house number 23," he said.

Rizal said he saw the officer approach Yusuf's body, take off the boy's shirt and place it over his face.

"Then he walked away after checking his gun. He seemed to be panicky," Rizal said.

Nearby residents rushed Yusuf to the nearby Islamic Hospital. The hospital rejected the patient due to the severe wound.

Yusuf was then taken to Cipto Hospital.

Yusuf was buried yesterday in Kemiri Public Cemetery in Rawamangun, East Jakarta.

Rizal said that brawls took place frequently at the site.

He said that on Thursday, dozens of Bahariwan students got out of a passing public bus and attacked the local youths.

A few hours after the incident, dozens of Cempaka Putih residents went to the police subprecinct to see the police officers who shot their neighbor.

Yusuf's parents, Agus Supriatna, 52, and Elin were reported to look very shaken by the death of their son.

Both refused to talk to reporters. They reportedly told neighbors that Yusuf was not dead and that they would wait for their son "to regain consciousness". (emf/cst)