Track Down Gun Supplier Of Setia Alam Shooter Cops Urged

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A man, who police said is in his 30s, fired several shots at a cleaner in a shopping mall in Setia Alam on Feb 8 before fleeing the scene. He is still on the run. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Police have been urged to track down the supplier of the gun used in the recent Setia Alam shooting, with crime analysts saying the incident again highlights the challenges authorities face in curbing illegal firearm possession.
A criminologist, Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim, said if the weapon was obtained through the black market. the police must take their investigation further to uncover the complex web of illegal firearm dealings linked to the suspect involved in the shooting.
He said this was crucial as other criminals may also have access to firearms through the same channels.
“Once they arrest the gunman, one of the key questions that must be asked is where did he get the weapon. If it’s through underground trade, a thorough investigation is needed to track down the supply chain, all the way to the mastermind or supplier.
“This could then lead to identifying other clients (of the supplier’s) but this is no easy task as it may involve a cross-border investigation to untangle a complex web of the operations,” he told FMT.
In the shooting on Feb 8, at a shopping mall in Setia Alam, a man, who police said is in his 30s, fired several shots at a cleaner inside the mall before fleeing the scene. The suspect is still on the run and police said they have identified him but have yet to ascertain his motive.
Crime analyst Kamal Affandi Hashim said the smuggling of firearms remained a challenge across the world, despite stringent border controls.
“There is no country that has been able to completely stop the movement of contraband across its borders. As for firearms, they don’t necessarily have to be smuggled in one piece.
“They could be dismantled into several components and brought in bit by bit, making them even harder to detect,” he said.
Regarding the Setia Alam shooting, Kamal commended the mall’s management for having a comprehensive CCTV system, which helped police identify the suspect.
Security analyst Nirwandy Mat Noordin of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) believed that the shooting was an isolated incident and that the public should not be alarmed.
“However, we should take this as a lesson. Shopping malls should have an internal intelligence team and equip high-risk areas with the latest security technology to detect suspicious behaviour and alert security personnel.” - FMT

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