A Cambodian man, arrested in connection with the shooting incident at the Ratanak Sampath Center building, located opposite Phnom Penh International Airport on Friday, has been released.
Sok Tola, 40 was arrested at Kon Damrey Village, Poipet City, Banteay Meanchey Province, on the evening of the incident, when he was transporting the three Chinese nationals who had hired his car to escape from Phnom Penh after causing the incident.
Lieutenant General Chuon Narin confirmed that the taxi driver was hired by the criminals for $80 to transport them from Phnom Penh to Poipet in order to escape and was innocent of the shooting.
According to Lieutenant General Chuon Narin, the rapid operation after the incident was carried out under direct orders from General Sar Thet, the Commissioner-General of the National Police.
The incident, which appears to have sparked from an altercation at a Karaoke establishment, took place on Friday afternoon at the Ratanak Sampath Center building, located opposite Phnom Penh International Airport, in Sangkat Kakap 1, Khan Por Sen Chey.
On Friday morning, the two groups of Chinese people went to drink and sing karaoke at the above location and had three conflicts.
The first and second conflicts involved repeated stabbings, but no one was injured and the situation calmed down. However, they did not stop drinking and continued drinking.
A series of images from security cameras show the moment the group of armed men stormed the Ratanak Sampath Center building opposite Phnom Penh International Airport and fired multiple shots.
The images, captured from security cam footage, show 2 men driving up the building and running along the corridor with AK47s.
They entered a room, where they are believed to have fired several shots before calmly exiting the building – this time accompanied by an accomplice.
The shooting incident by the gunmen did not cause any injuries.
The captured criminals have been named as ZHU DACHHUN, 38 (Chinese), HAN CHONG, 34 (Chinese) and LIU YONG, 36 (Chinese).
A car believed to belong the gunmen was found abandoned on wasteland.
At this time, the Criminal Police Department, the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, and the Military Police are continuing to question and investigate the incident area.
