GEORGE TOWN, May 15 — A 35-year-old man was shot dead by police early this morning after he opened fire at officers during a crime prevention operation in Bayan Lepas, Penang.
Penang police chief Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said the incident occurred at about 4.05am when officers approached a car parked along Lintang Bukit Jambul.
“Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department were on patrol when they noticed the vehicle and moved in to conduct a check,” he said in a statement.
Hamzah said the officers identified themselves, but the man suddenly exited the vehicle and fired at them.
“The police returned fire in self-defence,” he said, adding that the suspect was killed at the scene.
A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a pistol with three rounds of ammunition, an iron rod, two rattan sticks, two machetes, 15 packets of suspected methamphetamine weighing about 22.5g, a signal jammer, and various tools and clothing believed to be used in housebreaking activities.
Hamzah said the deceased was believed to be a Malaysian with prior records for 19 criminal and 15 drug-related offences.
Following the incident, police arrested seven men and one woman in connection with the case.
All eight are believed to have been involved in criminal activities with the deceased.
“Four of the suspects have prior criminal records, while the remaining four do not,” he said.
With the arrests, police believe they have solved 25 cases of robbery, housebreaking and laundromat break-ins around Penang, involving estimated losses of approximately RM500,000.
The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, and Section 8 of the Firearms Act 1960, which provides for a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment.
