A district military police chief in Oddar Meanchey province shot and killed a man who opened fire on him after speeding through a police checkpoint on a stolen motorbike early Tuesday morning, the officer said.
Yang Vang, chief of the military police in Anlong Veng district, said he ordered a temporary checkpoint set up on National Road 67B after a 2013 Honda Dream motorbike was reported stolen in Trapaing Brei commune.
“At about 1 a.m. [Tuesday], the suspect, driving a motorbike that looked like the one reported stolen, approached the checkpoint,” Mr. Vang said. “I immediately called for him to stop, but he refused and continued driving.
When the man sped through the side of the checkpoint open to traffic, he said, he ordered two of his subordinates to continue manning the roadblock while he and another officer gave chase in a truck.
About 200 meters down the road, the man stopped the motorbike and Mr. Vang stepped out of the truck, he said.
“When the suspect was standing about five or six meters from me, he took out a handgun and shot at me once,” he said. “Fortunately, I dove to the ground and used my handgun to shoot him in the head, killing him.”
“I had no intention to kill him,” he added. “I was just defending myself.”
Anlong Veng district police chief Suy Seng, who examined the body at the scene, said the man had been shot through the mouth.
In his possession at the time of his death was a K-54 pistol, a mobile phone, 1,000 riel (about $0.25) and 650 Thai baht (about $20), Mr. Seng said, adding that while he did not find any identification on the man, and still does not know his name, he was about 40 years old.
“The motorbike was returned to the owner, and the body was cremated in the district pagoda,” Mr. Seng added.
