A professional hitman probably executed the early Sunday shooting death of a budding karoake-video star, police said.
Hun Vicheat, 23, died after a man on a motorbike shot him once in the back as the actor rode near Wat Phnom with his wife, Daun Penh district Penal Police Deputy Chief Khuon Nguon said.
The unidentified shooter pulled up next to the motorbike Hun Vicheat was riding around 1:30 am, Khuon Nguon said. As the bikes passed the restaurant Le Deauville, the gunman pulled out a K-54 handgun and opened fire. A bullet went through Hun Vicheat’s chest and grazed the motorbike taxi driver.
Hun Vicheat’s wife, Prem Montha, 21, a singer at the Tonle Sap nightclub, accompanied him to Calmette Hospital. He died en route, Khuon Nguon said.
Witnesses told police Hun Vicheat had picked up Prem Montha at her nightclub around 12:30 am. They drove to their Boeung Kok district home and then went back out. Police suspect the gunmen had been trailing the couple for some time, Khuon Nguon said. Because the gunmen fired only once, hit his victim from a moving motorbike and did not stop to rob Hun Vicheat, police believe the shooting was the work of a hired killer.
New World video producer Prak Chany said Hun Vicheat had featured roles in the videos “At the Border” and “Tom Teu,” a Khmer folk song.
Relatives took the dead man to a pagoda, but were waiting for his mother to return from Australia today to begin the funeral, Khuon Nguon said.
