VIDEO: Thai gunman among 27 dead in 'unprecedented' mass shooting
A Facebook picture of Jakrapanth Thomma, a Thai soldier wanted in connection to a deadly attack in the northeastern city of Nakhon Ratchasima . Photo Credit/ Facebook
A Thai soldier who killed at least 26 people before being shot dead in a mall by commandos went on the rampage because of a debt dispute, the kingdom's premier said Sunday, offering the first official motive for the "unprecedented" shooting spree.
Sharp-shooters brought an end to a 17-hour-ordeal when they killed the gunman on Sunday morning after a night which seesawed between heavy exchanges of gunfire and terrifying dashes for mall exits by shoppers trapped in the Terminal 21 mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat.
The shooting spree in the northeastern city of Nakhon Ratchasima began late in the afternoon at an army barracks.
Three people were killed — among them at least one soldier — when Sergeant-Major Jakrapanth Thomma opened fire, police said.
"He stole an army vehicle and drove into the town centre," police Lieutenant-Colonel Mongkol Kuptasiri.
There the gunman used weapons stolen from the army arsenal - including a machiene gun - to bring carnage to a town centre.
An official at the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office in Nakhon Ratchasima said at least 20 people were confirmed dead and the toll could rise. One ambulance service official in the city said the death toll was as high as 23.
"We don't know why he did this. It appears he went mad," said defence ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit.
Police identified the suspect as Jakrapanth Thomma. He had posted on his Facebook page earlier in the day that "Death is inevitable for everyone."
He also posted a picture of what appeared to be his hand holding a gun.
At one point after the shooting had begun, the suspect posted "Should I give up?" before his account became inaccessible.
The soldier opened fire at different locations in the city, which is more than 250 km from the capital Bangkok, police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said in a message sent to reporters.
The shooter was still in the Century 21 shopping mall and had not yet been apprehended, the police said.
Local media showed footage of the soldier getting out of a car in front of a shopping mall and firing a series of shots, sending people running. Gunshots could be heard on the video.
One video from a bystander showed a man slumped at the wheel of a car in a pool of blood. It was unclear if he was among the dead. Another video showed at least four people who had clearly been shot and showed no sign of movement.
The gunman also posted images of himself and wrote several posts on his Facebook page as the attack unfolded including "should I surrender?" and "no one can escape death."
Facebook sent its condolences to the victims and their families and said there was no place on Facebook for anyone who commits or supports such atrocities.
"We have removed the gunman's accounts from our services and will work around the clock to remove any violating content related to this attack as soon as we become aware of it," it said.
Reuters / AFP
