Twenty-nine people killed after a soldier went on a shooting rampage in North-Eastern Thailand. The shooter, identified as Sgt. Jakkrapanth Thomma, was reportedly shot dead by security services.
The mass shooting began around 3 pm (08:00 GMT) on Saturday when Jakrapanth opened fire in a house before moving to an army camp and then to the mall, posting messages on Facebook as he went along.
According to the New York Times, Sergeant Jakkrapanth believed he was owed money. On Saturday he had arrived for a meeting regarding payment from a previous deal with Anong Mitrchan, who was well known for selling real estate to military officers in Korat. “Her son-in-law, a superior officer from the sergeant’s command — Col. Anantharot Krasae — was there at her house, along with her business partner, according to Mrs. Anong’s husband. The soldier shot all three of them. Only the partner survived, with serious wounds.” reported the New York Times.
CNN reported that authorities brought the gunman’s mother from his hometown in Chaiyaphum Province to an area near the mall but she was unable to get inside. The mother, whose name was withheld, said there was little point in talking to her son, as he had depression and an extremely bad temper.
The gunman had a machine gun that he had stolen, with around 800 rounds of ammunition and two short guns, Puridet said.
Police and military sources told Reuters they had killed 32-year-old Jakrapanth Thomma on Sunday morning, a few hours after a failed raid on the Terminal 21 complex in Nakhon Ratchasima left one member of the security forces dead and two injured.
