Mysterious sniper opens fire on C. Bengkulu regent

An unidentified man opened fire on Central Bengkulu Regent Feri Ramli in the pre-dawn hours of Monday morning, but hit a public order officer instead.

The injured public order officer, Ramdani, 26, was assigned to guard the regent’s official residence on Jl. Basuki Rahmat, Sukamerindu, Bengkulu.

Feri said the shooting took place at 1 a.m., shortly after he returned home from an event with his deputy regent.

He said he was just stepping into his house when he heard three gunshots and rushed into the house to take cover.

After calling the police, he surveyed the scene outside his home and found Ramdani had been shot in his right hand.

Feri said although he was not sure the shots were aimed at him, the possibility the sniper was after the public order officer was small.

“The shoots were directed at the door when I was about to enter the house,” said Feri.

Bengkulu Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Hery Wiyanto said police directly investigated the scene after receiving the regent’s report and had apprehended suspects and seized a car that was allegedly used by the sniper.

“We are still questioning the suspects,” he said as quoted by tempo.co on Monday.