Police Arrest 14-Year-Old After Deadly Shooting at Bangkok Shopping Mall
Bangkok, Thailand – A shooting at a shopping mall in the capital city of Bangkok on Tuesday has left at least three people dead and four others injured. Thai police have arrested a 14-year-old suspect in connection with the incident.
The shooting occurred around 5 p.m. local time at the Siam Paragon Mall. Police Colonel Noppadol Thiammekha, Pathum Wan Police Chief, stated that authorities are still assessing the exact number of casualties.
Gun ownership in Thailand is relatively high compared to other countries in the region. According to data from the Small Arms Survey (SAS), more than 10.3 million civilians in Thailand possess firearms, amounting to approximately 15 guns for every 100 people. Out of these, around 6.2 million guns are legally registered.
Thailand has the second-highest number of gun homicides in Southeast Asia, following the Philippines, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s Global Burden of Disease database for 2019. However, mass shootings are rare in the country.
In October 2022, a tragic incident occurred where 36 people were killed in a gun and knife attack at a child care center in northeastern Thailand. This incident is believed to be the deadliest of its kind in the country.
Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the shooting at the Siam Paragon Mall. The arrest of the 14-year-old suspect provides hope for justice and answers for the victims and their families.