Police are searching for members of two rival gangs who opened fire outside Watergate Pavillion mall in the middle of Bangkok last night, killing one Indian tourist and injuring four others.
At 11am today, police inspected the scene of the shooting outside the mall in Ratchathewi district. Initial investigations indicate that the perpetrators are residents of the area, according to Pol. Lt. Sutthipong Wongpin of Phaya Thai police.
“The two groups are rival gangs. From our investigation, they’ve had quarrels before, but we don’t know the extent of their arguments,” Pol. Sutthipong told reporters today.
The police are currently examining CCTV footage in order to identify the perpetrators.
At about 8:30pm, about 20 young men emerged from a nearby snooker club armed with guns, knives and wooden sticks. Three of the men opened fire at their rivals, causing the pedestrians to run in different directions, according to, Julie Sawangarun, a tour guide who works at the mall.
Sawangarun said that the spot is where tour groups traditionally park their buses. Two of the victims were part of a group of Indian tourists who were dropped off to have dinner and shop at the mall, Khaosod reported.
The deceased victim was identified as 42-year-old Indian national Gakhrejr Dheeraj. Another Indian tourist, a Laotian national, along with two Thai men were injured.
The assailants escaped as police arrived, and none were apprehended.
Spent shells from an AK47 assault rifle were found at the scene, but as of today, police are still waiting for their forensic team to confirm the type of weapons used.
No arrest warrants have been issued at this point, and the doctors have not yet allowed police to speak to the injured victims.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that a Laotian national was killed. An official from Bangkok’s Erawan Center, the dispatch center for emergency medical services, has subsequently confirmed that he has survived the shooting.
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