Police officer opens fire in public, beaten up

A Mobile Brigade police officer was beaten up by angry mob at Mangga Dua shopping center in West Jakarta on Thursday afternoon after he fired warning shots which the Jakarta police deemed as a self-defense.

A local resident suffered gunshot wounds in the accident, which took place in public following an argument between the officer, identified as First Brig. GM, and parking attendants.

Jakarta police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar said the officer from Detachment A in Kwitang, Central Jakarta, opened fire as a number of people besieged him.

“Initially there was misunderstanding over parking management between the officer and parking attendants. Then someone yelled at the officer, calling him a thief to provoke the crowd to catch him,” Boy said as quoted by Antara.

He said the officer suffered severe wounds, while the victim of the shooting incident was recovering.

A security guard said the angry crowd captured three people, one of them opened fire that injured a beverage vendor operating in the shopping center.