Teens held by police over fatal shooting of 13-year-old boy in Bangkok

Thirteen teenagers, aged 17 and 18, are being held in police custody for alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district yesterday. Police also seized five pistols and six motorcycles.

Pol Lt-Gen Sayam Boonsom, commissioner of Metropolitan Police Bureau, told the media that the fatal shooting stemmed from a quarrel on social media, which led to a face-to-face confrontation to settle the score.

He said that the group of teenagers set out on motorcycles to roam the streets of Bang Khen district looking for their rivals. They found the victim and two others standing together on a walkway and fired three shots into the group, killing the 13-year-old boy in an unprovoked attack.

Pol Lt-Gen Sayam said that the perpetrator mistook the boy as one of their rivals, adding that all 13 detainees will face murder or attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms charges.



He also said that investigators have been instructed to ascertain whether the two groups of youths are from rival schools. Police have also increased road blocks in the area to search for weapons being carried by motorcyclists.