SANDAKAN – The teenage daughter of the Lahad Datu police chief who accidentally shot herself died of a gunshot wound to the right side of her chest, police here have confirmed.
Sabah deputy police commissioner Datuk Shahurinain Jais told Scoop that the bullet went through the right of her chest, hitting her lungs, and through the back of her body.
“There was only one gunshot wound,” he said.
Police are still investigating the death of the 14-year-old who was found dead at about 12.35pm yesterday in Taman Tabanak, Lahad Datu.
The victim’s 16-year-old sister found her lying in the room after returning from school.
It was reported the victim was handling the pistol by herself before the accident happened.
Lahad Datu police chief Dzulbaharin Ismail was in Kinabatangan at the time of the incident.
Police have seized a semi-automatic Walther P99 pistol believed to be the gun that had caused the victim’s death.
Shahurinain said that police had not made any arrests, but the case was still under investigation, which would include the aspect of the standard operating procedures of handling firearms.
“For the usage of firearms by the Royal Malaysia Police, it is tied to the law of PTKPN A144 (three months of usage and can be brought with police for 24 hours) and PDRM 60 (daily usage and must return after duty).
“Any police officer at risk could use a firearm with permission. The storage of the firearm is under the responsibility of the officer who was given the authority to use the weapon,” he said.
Earlier, it was reported that police had eliminated the possibility of foul play, given that there was no criminal element found, and the case was classified as sudden death.
Dzulbaharin was appointed as Lahad Datu police chief on April 1, having previously been district police chief for Kinabatangan. – April 17, 2024