A university student was shot dead in his car early on Saturday morning in Phnom Penh’s Chamkar Mon district after trying to save his sister and fiancee from armed robbers by ramming his car into one of the men, police said.
Chan Sokchea, 24, was pronounced dead from four gunshot wounds after driving his car into a man who was beating and robbing his sister, Chan Sreypor, and his fiancee, Neth Sothearoath, at the front door of his house in Tumnop Toek commune at about 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, according to deputy commune police chief Pak Sopheap.
Video footage from a security camera in front of the house shows Ms. Sreypor, 18, and Ms. Sothearoath, 22, being attacked by two men wearing motorcycle helmets.
“When they stopped in front of their house and tried to open the [house] door, three suspects driving motorbikes arrived…and started to snatch their belongings,” Mr. Sopheap said.
About 15 seconds into the robbery, the footage shows, Chan Sokchea drives a car into the driveway, hitting one of the suspects. A third helmeted suspect then approaches and fires five rounds into the side of the car, hitting Chan Sokchea four times, according to Mr. Sopheap.
Tey Visal, deputy chief of the municipal police’s serious crimes bureau, said the suspects escaped with two of the victims’ phones, while Ms. Sothearoath was still hospitalized due to her injuries.
“We have not found any suspects yet. We just have some suspicions…. We are continuing to investigate,” he said, adding that he had no further details.
The National Police reported 38 murders in Phnom Penh last year, down from 48 the year before.
