Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the KLIA shooting by now. But if you’ve read bits and pieces of the news but want to know the whole story, we’ve compiled the full rundown of the events here:
1. A murder attempt was made
As reported by The Star, something out of a movie scene happened at the KLIA 1 arrival hall on 14 April at 1:30 am when a shooting occurred. The man fired two shots, one of which hit a personal bodyguard as he stepped in to save the wife of the shooter. This also caused travellers to scramble for cover. The shooter then fled the scene to his car at Block C of the airport’s carpark.
KLIA Shooting? Read more below! pic.twitter.com/XC9rN6aJ4G
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2. It wasn’t an act of terrorism
Investigations showed that the suspect had intended to shoot his wife, who was waiting for the arrival of an Umrah group. Police revealed that it was a personal vendetta, as they were in the midst of a divorce.
3. The victim wasn’t supposed to be working.
In a cruel twist of fate, the bodyguard, Along’s colleague, revealed that he was not supposed to work and had replaced a female colleague on Hari Raya break. His wife revealed that her husband was working as a personal bodyguard on a part-time basis before Ramadan.
4. The victim experienced severe bleeding
The bodyguard, who is currently warded at Cyberjaya Hospital, experienced severe bleeding and had difficulty bleeding. However, no vital organs were hit. As reported by NST, the man’s condition is critical, and he had to be put in a medically induced coma.
5. The suspect has been identified
The shooter, a 38-year-old man named Hafizul Harawi, has previously been under police investigation for theft and impersonating a public officer and has had police reports lodged against him as early as 2016.
Image Credit: The Star
“The victim had filed two reports for criminal intimidation, the latest in December last year. Based on that report, the suspect was arrested, and we submitted the investigation paper (to the deputy public prosecutor), but we were then given additional instructions. Because of that incident, the (target of Sunday's shooting) hired bodyguards,” said Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.
6. The suspect’s wife is an influencer
The intended target is an influencer who goes by the name Farah Cie on social media. She has over 30K followers on Facebook and specialises in Umrah tour packages. She confirmed the shooting but declined to comment further following advice from lawyers.
7. The weapon has been identified
The man is believed to have used a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which may have been obtained illegally from a neighbouring country. After the police swept the scene, they found two bullet casings and an unspent round.
8. The suspect is believed to have fled north
Security at the borders has been heightened, and police personnel are on high alert in case the suspect tries to escape. The police believe the suspect is still in Malaysia and have intensified efforts to track him down.
9. The public is urged not to approach the suspect
The police have classified the suspect as armed and dangerous, and the public has been warned not to approach the suspect if spotted but to call the police immediately.
10. The victim is still in a coma
Farah Cie also shared on her Facebook page that her bodyguard is still unconscious. She also apologised for not responding to messages, saying that she was still traumatised by the incident which happened before her eyes.
What a horrible incident to occur in our usually peaceful country. Let’s pray the bodyguard makes a full and speedy recovery.
Featured Image Credit: The Star, Farah Cie | Facebook