A dispute over a pet bird in Thailand turned fatal when a man allegedly opened fire on his neighbours, killing a father and his baby daughter.
The shooting occurred at about 11.30am on Tuesday (1 July) in Krabi Province.
Officers found the body of Mr Apiwat Manpian (name transliterated from Thai) — a 37-year-old taxi driver — lying near the entrance of his house.
Source: Thairath
The man was shot in his left arm, with the bullet exiting through his chest and piercing his heart, killing him instantly.
The man’s wife and daughters also suffered gunshot wounds.
The wife, 28-year-old Ms Sudarat Busman, was struck in her right arm.
Their one-year-old daughter, Nicharin Manpian, suffered a gunshot wound to her head and was pronounced dead at the hospital, reports Thai news outlet Thairath.
Source: Amarin TV on YouTube
The gunman, identified as 41-year-old Wiwat Sukontharat, lived directly across from the victim’s home. He fled on a motorcycle after the shooting.
Initial investigations suggest that the incident stemmed from a pet hill myna that had escaped from the perpetrator’s cage a few days before.
Unaware of the myna’s owner, a resident caught the bird and sold it to Mr Apiwat.
When Wiwat discovered this, he angrily demanded the bird back, which led to a heated confrontation between the two men.
On the day of the shooting, Mr Wiwat reportedly spotted Mr Apiwat again and proceeded to retrieve a handgun before firing the weapon at point-blank range.
The suspect remains at large as of Wednesday (2 July). Police investigations are ongoing.
Also read: Man in Thailand shoots woman over debt in front of her 12-year-old son, takes vendor hostage
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Featured image adapted from Thairath and Amarin TV on YouTube.