Brothers slain, 4 wounded as gunmen storm restaurant

Brothers slain, 4 wounded as gunmen storm restaurant

Forensic police collect evidence at the roadside restaurant in Ayutthaya's Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district after the shooting on Wednesday night. Two men were shot dead by gunmen who arrived in four vehicles, and four others, including a 13-year-old boy, wounded. (Photo by Sunthorn Pongpao)
Forensic police collect evidence at the roadside restaurant in Ayutthaya's Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district after the shooting on Wednesday night. Two men were shot dead by gunmen who arrived in four vehicles, and four others, including a 13-year-old boy, wounded. (Photo by Sunthorn Pongpao)

AYUTTHAYA - Two brothers were shot dead and four other people wounded when gunmen stormed a roadside restaurant and opened fire at one of the victims on Wednesday night in a feud believed sparked by jealousy.

The wild attack occured  at Mamiew roadside restaurant on Ayutthaya-Ban Pom Road in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district around 8.30pm, Pol Lt Col Jakkraphan Thupathemee, investigation chief at Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya police station, said on Thursday morning.

Six people were found lying on the ground with gunshot wounds when police and rescue teams arrived at the scene. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where two of them were pronounced dead.

The two dead men had each been shot in the chest. They were brothers -  Kampanat Sattatham, 35, and   Kittipong Sattatham, 20, of Uthai Thani  - police said.

The four wounded survivors -  a  13-year-old boy and three men - had bullet wounds to their legs and arms.

Police found a carbine and 20 spent carbine cartridges on the ground, along with many spent .38  and 9mm bullets and cartridges, scattered over the area.

A witness, Apirom Yodsa-nga, 30, told police that Kampanat and his brother had arrived at the restaurant by pickup truck. While the brothers were eating a group of men travelling in four pickup trucks and cars parked their vehicles in front of the restaurant. 

About 10 men got out of the vehicles and walked over to the restaurant. There was a loud, sustained volley of gunshots, sending terrified customers diving under tables for protectiion.

Ms Apirom said she did not know whether the shots were fired by one group or if the two sides exchanged  shots as she and others were panicked and dared not watch closely. However, it did sound like an exchange of shots, she said. 

The gunfire continued for 2-3 minutes and then the attackers fled in their vehicles, leaving six people lying wounded on the floor. Most were customers.

Ms Apirom told police that Kampanat had flirted with a young woman working at the restaurant after the woman broke off relations with her boyfriend, who was believed to be one of the armed attackers.

Pol Maj Gen Sutthi Puangpikul, Ayutthaya police chief, said a hunt was underway for the assailants. The young waitress mentioned by the witness would be invited in for questioning. Other witnesses would also be questioned.

He said investigators would examine security camera footage from the road outside and nearby areas to help identify the gunmen.


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