NIBONG TEBAL: A wanted criminal died in a shoot-out with police at an oil palm plantation here early this morning, said Penang CID chief, Datuk Zainol Samah.
He said a semi-auto pistol with six 9mm bullets in the magazine as well as one bullet in the pistol chamber were found with the man in his 20s from George Town who was confirmed shot in the incident at 3.30 am.
“Police also found a packet believed to be drugs with the man who was wanted by police in four criminal cases involving firearms and criminal intimidation as well as the latest crime of attempted murder by shooting at police in the incident this morning,” he said
Without revealing the name of the criminal, he said the man also had 17 criminal and 11 drug related records.
“The man was being picked up by patrol police when he escaped after firing a shot at police, following which we launched an operation to track him down,” he said.
Zainol said the suspect was later detected driving Proton Waja near here but he sped towards Jalan Tasek and into an oil palm plantation when he realised he was being tailed by police.
According to him, the suspect lost control and crashed into a boulder in the chase and came out shooting at police.
“Police returned fire to protect themselves before one of the shots hit the suspect and he died at the scene,” he said.
He also said on further inspection, the Proton Waja used by the man was stolen in Balik Pulau in February. – Bernama
