JOHOR BARU, April 3 — Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun today defended the action of a policeman who fired several shots at a man who ran amok in Klang, Selangor yesterday.

Mohamad Fuzi said the officer who shot at the attacker only discharged his firearm after the latter went after the second policeman with a switchblade, and prevented further harm being done.

“Some people might not be happy with the action taken by the policeman, but he had no choice,” said Mohamad Fuzi after the officiating the police southern region band at the Johor police contingent headquarters here.

He was commenting on criticisms by some people regarding how police handled the situation that led to shots being fired.

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Mohamad Fuzi said policemen who are on duty are exposed to various risks.

Yesterday, a 41-year-old man went berserk at a bank when he failed to withdraw cash from an automated teller machine (ATM) and was shot by police after he attempted to attack a policeman with a switchblade in Bukit Tinggi, Klang at about 12.30pm.

A one-minute and 28-second video of the incident, showing the suspect chasing the policeman and was later shot several times, went viral on social media.

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The suspect, a Sabahan believed to be high on drugs, was shot twice in his stomach and is currently receiving treatment at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang.