PETALING JAYA, Aug 9 ― Police have arrested a 61-year-old senior citizen for brandishing his semi-automatic pistol in public while intoxicated, denying rumours on social media that a shooting incident had taken place in Bandar Utama.
Pictures of blood splatter on several pillars at an unidentified basement parking lot began circulating on social media, prompting the alleged rumour.
Petaling Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zani Che Din who dismissed the rumour, clarified that police however were alerted by the public informing a man was waving his firearm around at Centrepoint, Bandar Utama around 7.10pm yesterday.
“Our initial investigation showed the suspect and his friend were drinking at a restaurant at the mall around 6pm before both began arguing with one another.”
“Checks on the closed-circuit television recording footage at the scene also showed the drunk suspect fell down and hit his head on the edge of a table,” he said.
Mohd Zani said the restaurant owner immediately contacted medical services to treat the injured suspect who was a retiree.
“However after receiving treatment from paramedics, the suspect began brandishing his firearm and started looking for his friend whom he was arguing with earlier.”
“This led to panic at the scene and an emergency call was made to the Petaling Jaya District Control Centre,” he said.
Police subsequently detained the suspect on the spot and seized the pistol along with several firearm bullets.
He said checks showed the suspect was licensed to carry a firearm and the suspect was currently in custody at the University Malaya Medical Centre following medical treatment while statements from the suspect’s friend have been taken.
