A shooter unleashed chaos inside one of Bangkok’s biggest and most upscale shopping destinations, the Siam Paragon mall, in Thailand’s capital on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in the death of at least one person. Initial reports indicated that between two to three people had died, but police later confirmed one fatality. It took less than an hour for law enforcement to apprehend the shooter, who was identified as a long-haired teen boy suffering from mental illness.
The Siam Paragon mall is renowned for its high-end fashion outlets, luxury cars, cinema, and attached five-star Siam Kempinski Hotel. Despite the unfortunate incident, the situation is under control, according to Police spokesman Archayon Kraithong. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin expressed his deepest condolences to the victim’s family, extending his support to all those affected by the tragedy. While gun violence is not uncommon in Thailand, mass shootings are rare.
The timing of the shooting is particularly unsettling as it occurred just days before the one-year anniversary of Thailand’s biggest mass killing, which took place in a rural day-care center, claiming the lives of 36 people, mostly preschoolers. As a result of the incident, authorities temporarily closed access to the nearby Siam Square elevated train stop, causing inconvenience for commuters during the evening rush hour amid heavy rain.
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Eyewitnesses recounted the terrifying moments as they sought refuge during the shooting. Chinese tourist Liu Shiying described the chaos, with people running and alarming news of gunfire circulating. She mentioned that the mall’s lights went out, adding to the tension. Gautam Vora, an Indian national, was at the mall with his family and described the experience as “quite scary,” unsure initially about the source of the noise. However, the panicked crowd confirmed the seriousness of the situation as they screamed and ran, creating a chaotic stampede. Numerous videos captured people fleeing the building, while others showed the shooter inside, dressed in a baseball cap, dark shirt, and camouflage pants, armed with a handgun. After his arrest, a video circulated purporting to show the shooter—a long-haired boy wearing glasses and sporting an American flag on his cap.
(Read more Thailand stories.)
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