One shot dead, four injured

By JUNIOR UKAHA
A MEMBER of a gang was shot dead and four others received gunshot wounds when they were intercepted by police while trying to escape with a stolen vehicle.
However, the hospital said only two were brought to the hospital, the dead member and one with a bullet wound on his leg but he escaped.
Lae Met Supt Anthony Wagambie Jr said the incident happened last Friday between 7pm and 8pm when the criminals held up a senior public servant and tried to escape with his vehicle.
He is the second criminal was shot and killed by police in two days.
Last Thursday Lae police raided a criminal hideout on the fringes of the West Taraka suburb and exchanged gunfire with the criminals, killing one man and recovering a number of firearms, including a factory-made AR15 rifle that was reportedly stolen from police.
Wagambie said in the latest incident, seven gang members held up the civil servant with a gun in front of his house and took his vehicle.
“Police were alerted and responded,” Wagambie said.
“Police blocked off all escape routes and spotted the criminals at China Town.
“Police gave chase and cornered the criminals before shots were fired.”
Wagambie said five of the criminals were shot and captured but two escaped on foot into the nearby Geks Compound Settlement.
“One of the five suspects shot was confirmed dead,” Wagambie said.
He said the four wounded were admitted in hospital and would be charged once they recovered.
But Angau Memorial Hospital doctor-in-charge of the accident and emergency department Alex Peawi said they had only two shooting victims last Friday.
Peawi said one was confirmed dead on arrival and one received a bullet wound on the leg.
“I can confirm that we received only two—one dead and another had a bullet wound,” Peawi said.
“I do not know about the others, they may be admitted at small clinics in fear of police.”
Peawi said the injured criminals admitted at the hospital had escaped between 9pm and 10pm while doctors were in the process of attending to him.
Peawi said he did not know why the patient escaped but suspected that he might be afraid of police and he took off.