Same weapon used in multiple murders: Police

KUALA LUMPUR: Ballistics findings by forensics police revealed that there were repeated use of the same firearms by hired killers in different cases, indicating one group of hitmen is involved in an undisclosed number of murder or attempted murder cases.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said today that investigations showed a small group of hired killers did exist and were behind several murder cases in recent months.
"It is true that we found that in some cases it was the same firearm used by the killers. We will launch Ops Cantas Khas soon and this time we will have the elite STAGG (Special Task Force for Anti-Vice, Gaming and Gangsterism) and Stafoc (Special Task Force On Organised Crime) teams join in the operation to go after these individuals involved in gangsterism and hired killing," he said today at the Central General Operations Force (GOF) base in Cheras after attending the IGP Cup shooting competition.
A similar finding was made on the pistol of two hired killers arrested for the murder of real estate agent Datin Wong Siu Ling who was shot dead at Taman OUG on July 6. A forensics report revealed the firearm, a Glock 8 had been used in two murders and an attempted murder in Perak last year.
On another unrelated case involving the death of a 57-year-old police sergeant who died after being accidentally shot by his 32-year-old colleague, a lance corporal, Noor Rashid said it was highly likely to be a case of negligence.
"We have a comprehensive SOP (standard operating procedures) on handling firearms, right from picking it up and placing it down. There are safe techniques to be adopted to avoid untoward incidents. If these are not observed, then such negligence can lead to such situations," he said.
He said an criminal investigation is ongoing and stern action will be taken against the lance corporal if he is found to have been negligent.
On Friday, Sgt Abu Samah who is attached to the Serdang police patrol unit was killed hours after sustaining a gunshot to the back of his head. The lance corporal who is a member of the armoury unit was emptying the bullet chamber of a pistol when he accidentally discharged a gunshot.