Authorities in Kandal province are searching for a police officer who shot his neighbor 14 times during a birthday party in Ang Snuol district on Saturday night, killing him instantly, officials said Sunday.
According to district police chief Hang Chanda, 40 people were at the party in Lomhach commune, including five children, when Tim Sary, 35, allegedly unloaded his Chinese-made CF 98 pistol into Srey Chanvuthy, 43, at about 10 p.m.
“The victim was a villager in Kork Papel village and was shot many times and had more than 10 holes in his body,” Mr. Chanda said. “He died instantly.”
He said the two men lived near each other in the village, where the victim had worked as a farmer and the suspect was a police officer.
Mr. Chanda’s deputy, Phach Phalla, said none of the other guests knew what prompted Mr. Sary to murder Srey Chanvuthy, and that police were still investigating.
“We suspect the victim and the gunman previously had a dispute, because they lived in the same village,” he said.
Mr. Phalla said Mr. Sary fired his handgun until its extended magazine was empty, then dropped the weapon and fled the scene.
“We know the gunman’s identity and that he was [also] working as a…bodyguard, but he is still at large,” he said.
According to a police report provided by provincial police chief Iv Chamroeun, Srey Chanvuthy was shot a total of 14 times: four times in the stomach, twice in the side, twice in the left knee and three times each in his chest and right knee.
Mr. Chamroeun said Mr. Sary’s wife, Chin Chankrisna, 28, confirmed that her husband served as both a police officer and a personal bodyguard, adding that investigators were trying to find out more about his police position and employer.
“He is a police officer and a bodyguard, and we have not yet found out where he works,” he said.
