Malaysia
Nationwide manhunt ongoing as police believe KLIA shooter still in Malaysia
Director of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain inspecting the scene of the shooting at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 Arrivals, April 14, 2024. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — The man involved in a shooting incident at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport early this morning is still believed to be in the country, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said today as the authorities embark on a nationwide manhunt for the suspect.

"We are confident that he is still in the country and hasn't gone far,” Mingguan Malaysia quoted the police chief as saying this afternoon.

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Police earlier released the identity and photographs of the man wanted for firing a gun inside the arrival hall of Terminal 1 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Selangor at about 1.30am, which struck a woman and another man, severely injuring the latter.

The suspected shooter who fled the scene was named as Hafizul Harawi, 38, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain told a news conference at KLIA. — Bernama pic

The suspected shooter who fled the scene was named as Hafizul Harawi, 38, by Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain during a news conference at KLIA earlier.

He said the airport security measures will be reviewed after today’s incident even though it was classified as an isolated case related to a domestic conflict and not a terrorist activity.

"Bukit Aman is viewing this incident seriously as it occurred at the country's entry point.

"This was not the first time such an incident happened, therefore the existing security measures will be reviewed thoroughly,” Mohd Shuhaily was quoted by The New Straits Times as saying in a separate news report.

The shooting incident, some of it caught on video by bystanders, had sparked concerns about KLIA's security standards which is now under intense public scrutiny. Malaysia has very strict gun laws and gun-related crimes are very rare, which raises questions as to how the suspect had managed to acquire a gun.

Mohd Shuhaily had said the suspect had three past complaints filed against him by his wife dating back to 2016 and the latest last December.

The suspect had been investigated previously for criminal intimidation, theft and pretending to be a civil official.

The case is being investigated as attempted murder under Section 307 of the Penal Code as police investigations showed the suspect was targeting his wife, who was waiting for the arrival of an umrah group at the airport.

One of the wife’s two bodyguards who was shot in the abdomen is in critical condition, Mohd Shuhaily said.

The senior federal CID chief said the case is also being investigated under Section 8 of the Firearms Act 1960 for unlawful possession of a weapon punishable with jail up to a maximum 14 years, and no fewer than six strokes of the rotan.

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