KUALA LUMPUR – Two men were gunned down in a shootout with police officers in Jalan Abad, Taman Abad in Johor Bahru on Friday evening.
According to M Kumar, the Johor police chief, the state police confirmed that they received a report of the exchange of fire at 5:04 p.m.
A 42-year-old suspect and his accomplice were shot dead in the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in which they were travelling, he said.
“The incident occurred when a police team from D14, criminal investigation department (CID) Bukit Aman, together with D9, CID Johor, followed a white Toyota Estima at the scene of the incident under suspicious circumstances.
“When they realised that they were being followed, the suspects tried to escape while firing several shots at the police vehicle tailing closely behind them.
“This prompted the police to open fire on the MPV they were riding in. The exchange of gunfire continued until the situation was controlled,” he said in a statement.
Kumar said checks revealed that the two suspects were shot and killed in the Toyota Estima.
He added that the 42-year-old suspect had 38 previous convictions for drug-related offences, while the identity of the other suspect remained unknown as no identification documents had been found.
“Further inspection also two firearms in the suspects’ vehicle. The police also found a pistol on the body of one of the suspects. Various types of substances believed to be dangerous drugs were also found in the vehicle,” he added.
Kumar further said that the case was investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code, Kumar said.
“People who have any information regarding this incident are requested to come forward and contact the Johor police hotline at 019-2792095 or the operations room at 07-221299,” he said.
Several videos of the shooting had already spread on the Internet, leaving local residents shocked.