On Tuesday (Oct 3), videos showing shoppers fleeing for their lives from the upscale Siam Paragon Mall in Bangkok, Thailand, went viral on social media after an individual opened fire inside the mall.
Not long after, Thai police successfully arrested the person allegedly responsible for the attack, which turned out to be a 14-year-old boy.
Now, he is facing multiple murder charges for the fatal incident, which has so far left two dead and five injured.
Charged with murder for Siam Paragon Mall shooting
According to The Nation Thailand, the 14-year-old was slapped with five charges in court yesterday (Oct 4).
They are namely for premeditated murder, attempted murder, unauthorised possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm in public areas without permission and firing a gun in a public place without permission.
More charges may be made against him as police continue to gather more evidence.
Investigators are also mulling pressing charges against the suspects’ parents under the Child Protection Act, reported Bangkok Post.
Neither of them turned up in court to post bail for their son, who is now currently being held at the Juvenile Detention Centre to undergo a psychiatric assessment.
Had a history of mental illness
According to national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimo, he told reporters that the suspect is believed to have suffered from schizophrenia and failed to take his medication at the time of the shooting.
Bangkok Post also reported that upon being arrested, the suspect appeared to be in a “confused state” and told police that he heard voices telling him to fire the gun.
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