THE STAR
KOTA KINABALU: A top leader of a crime gang in Sabah’s east coast Tawau was shot dead by police during a confrontation.
The 28-year-old suspect, believed to be the head of a six-member gang behind robberies and drug peddling, was shot when he tried to attack a police party that cornered him at a dilapidated building in Kampung Titingan, Tawau, at 5.50am yesterday.
Tawau district police chief Asst Comm Fadil Marsus said the suspect, known only as Herman, was involved in at least 20 criminal cases in the district over the last few years.
He said the suspect and his gang were responsible for drug peddling, fights, causing hurt, snatch thefts and house break-ins in the district.
ACP Fadil said police recovered a parang, feather flight darts and house break-in tools, among others, from the suspect after he was shot.
He said a police team moved into the area after receiving information about the suspect’s presence.
“As our men ordered him to surrender, he started acting aggressively before charging at them with a parang, leaving them with no choice but to shoot him in the chest twice,” he said.
ACP Fadil said no identity documents were found on the suspect, believed to be a foreigner who was charged earlier for several burglary cases but was out on bail.
“This is based on our intelligence. But we can only confirm after we finish checking his finger print records,” he said, adding that police were tracking down the remaining gang members.
