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Hospitals decline to confirm gunshot wounds
Whether live rounds were fired during the riot is a matter of controversy because the police had earlier said they would not use live ammunition to secure the capital from May 21 to May 25 despite the highest security alert during that period.
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An man injured during the clash between the mob and the police leaves Tarakan Hospital in Central Jakarta flanked by two friends on May 22. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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ospitals treating casualties from Wednesday’s riot have not confirmed whether any injuries were caused by live rounds even though at least one fatality and one of the injured appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.
Authorities have said they received reports that six people died and about 200 people were injured in the rioting.
Whether live rounds were fired during the riot is a matter of controversy because the police had earlier said they would not use live ammunition to secure the capital from May 21 to May 25 despite the highest security alert during that period. The police have said that if any live rounds were fired, they were not fired by their officers.
The police had previously warned of the possibility of a terrorist attack "piggybacking" on the election result protest.
In the early hours of Wednesday, the dead and the injured were rushed to several hospitals around the city: Budi Kemuliaan Hospital, Tarakan Hospital, Pelni Hospital, Mintohardjo Hospital, and Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM).
RSCM medical and nursing director Sumariyono said the hospital had carried out an examination on the body of one man who was transferred from Budi Kemuliaan Hospital in Central Jakarta. Sumariyono, however, did not identify the fatality.
“We have examined the body, and we will wait for the police to release the forensics examination results,” Sumariyono said on Wednesday.
