A soldier shot dead four members of his girlfriend’s family in Banteay Meanchey province on Friday after her parents refused to allow him to marry their daughter, police said on Sunday.
Ngan Chantha, deputy provincial police chief, said police were hunting for Reth Reatrey, 28, stationed with the 5th Military Region unit in Svay Chek district’s Slakram commune, who is currently on the run. Mr. Chantha did not know the soldier’s rank.
Information posted to the National Police website on Saturday called the shootings “revenge” for Mr. Reatrey’s marriage wishes being spurned by his girlfriend’s family.
According to Mr. Chantha, the “angry” soldier entered the girlfriend’s family home in Malai district’s Thmei commune at about 3:15 a.m. and “started to shoot” people.
One man, Chuop Sangly, 30, died at the scene. Two women, Me Sovannrady, 32, and Sok Khanna, 55, died in the hospital, according to the National Police website.
A fourth victim, Im Sombol, was taken to a hospital in Thailand, according to the National Police website. Mr. Chantha on Sunday confirmed that Im Sombol had died earlier on Sunday.
The deputy police chief said that the four victims were all members of the family of Mr. Reatrey’s girlfriend, but was not able to say how they were related. He was also unable to confirm the girlfriend’s name.
Mr. Chantha said the soldier had been rejected by the girlfriend’s family. Mr. Reatrey “loves…the daughter, yet the parents won’t allow them to be together,” he said.
“We have identified [the suspect] and are looking to arrest him,” he added.
