Manhunt Intensifies for Drug-Influenced Gunman After Triple Murder in Nong Bua Lamphu

[misskit]

On November 27th, 2024, a shocking incident unfolded in Nong Bua Lamphu, when a gunman allegedly under the influence of drugs fatally shot three people. The armed suspect is still at large as of press time.


The victims included a father and son, with the father dying at the scene and the son succumbing to injuries at a local hospital. The third victim was a village security officer in the Si Bun Rueang District.


The names of the victims were withheld by the police.

The suspect, publicly identified only as Samart, 54, reportedly arrived on a blue motorcycle wearing a black jacket to confront the victims over allegations of theft.


His image was released by Thai police to warn the public and aid in his capture.

Investigations revealed that the suspect had used the father’s ATM card to withdraw a 10,000-baht handout in disability welfare funds. The victims had discovered the unauthorized transaction and filed a police report after unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the money.


A police-mediated meeting was scheduled, but the suspect resorted to violence, killing the three victims before fleeing.


The suspect’s son expressed shock and fear after learning of the murders. In a social media post, the suspect allegedly threatened to harm his family, prompting them to seek refuge with relatives.




Recent sightings of the suspect have been reported in Loei, where locals claim he was seen riding his motorcycle and asking for food.


Police officers from Si Bun Rueang and Loei’s Erawan District, along with provincial investigators, have launched a joint operation to capture the fugitive. Authorities are urging residents to report any sightings as they intensify the manhunt.

Manhunt Intensifies for Drug-Influenced Gunman After Triple Murder in Nong Bua Lamphu - The Pattaya News

[misskit]

Alleged Nong Bua Lamphu gunman surrenders

A 58-year-old male fugitive, who allegedly gunned down three people in Nong Bua Lamphu province yesterday, surrendered today after nearly 30 hours on the run.


The man, only identified as “Samart”, is a native of the area, which enabled him to evade the police manhunt and escape to Loei’s Banklang district.


Since the shooting, police and local volunteers had been combing the area, but were unable to locate him. They surrounded a hill, where they believed Samart's was at night, but without success.


This morning, however, Samart contacted his wife, expressing his intention to surrender and hand over his firearm because he was starving. Police brought him food and escorted him down from the hill.


The police investigation revealed that one of the victims was a handicapped man, who frequently asked Samart to withdraw money from an ATM for him.


When the government issued 10,000 baht cash payments, Samart allegedly withdrew the money but refused to hand it to the disabled victim.


When the victim demanded the money, Samart reportedly became enraged and shot him and his daughter, who happened to be present. The father died at the scene, while the daughter was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.


Samart then shot a third victim, a nearby village security guard, before fleeing on a motorcycle.


An initial, but incorrect report suggested that the attack occurred after the victims had refused to repay money they had borrowed from Samart.

Alleged Nong Bua Lamphu gunman surrenders