At least six people have been killed in a mass shooting at Bangkok’s busy Or Tor Kor food market, Thai police confirmed.
The shooter, identified as a 61-year-old former security guard from the Kong district, opened fire shortly before 1 p.m. local time on Monday, killing five people, including four security guards and one woman, before fatally shooting himself, officials said.
Highlights
- At least six people died in a mass shooting at Bangkok’s Or Tor Kor food market, including four security guards and one woman.
- The shooter, a 61-year-old former security guard, killed five before fatally shooting himself around 1 p.m. local time.
- Police are investigating the motive and any possible links to recent clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border.
Two other women were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Six people have been killed in a mass shooting in a busy market in Bangkok
Image credits: Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images
Security footage showed panicked crowds fleeing as gunshots rang out, with one clip appearing to show the shooter, dressed in a black T-shirt and carrying a front-worn backpack, running through a car park outside the market.
“Police are investigating the motive. So far it’s a mass shooting,” said Worapat Sukthai, deputy police chief of Bangkok’s Bang Sue district, adding that authorities are examining any potential connection to ongoing clashes at the Thai-Cambodian border.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, where at least 12 people have been killed in cross-border clashes over the past week.
Image credits: Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images
An eyewitness at the scene told local outlet The Matichon that he had been drinking coffee nearby when the shots erupted.
“It didn’t sound like a gunshot, but when people started to panic and the Royal Project [coffee shop] staff went out to check, they pushed the people to safety. As for the two of us, we parked our cars near the donation point for the soldiers of Mr Kan Chom Phalang.”
The Or Tor Kor market, located near the tourist-frequented Chatuchak area, is a well-known destination for fresh produce and local delicacies.
Police confirmed that no foreign tourists were among the victims.
The deceased include four security guards, a woman, and the shooter himself
Image credits: Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images
Thailand has one of the highest rates of firearms-related deaths in Southeast Asia, second only to the Philippines.
This is a developing story.