Pursuing policeman shot dead by motorcyclist

A fleeing motorcyclist shot dead a pursuing policeman in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima on Tuesday night.

Teams of police were hunting down the shooter on Wednesday.

The fatal shooting occurred on a road to Nong Noi and Nong Makha villages in tambon Pak Chong, said Pol Col Chat Narong, chief of Pak Chong police. It was reported around 9.35pm on Tuesday.

Police and rescue workers sent to the scene found Pol L/Cpl Atthaphol Boonmee, 28,  a traffic patrol officer at  Pak Chong station, unconscious on the road near his fallen motorcycle. He had been shot several times in the face. Medics performed CPR  and used a defibrillator before rushing him to Pak Chong Nana Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

A woman identified only as Orasa, 24, told police she saw a man riding a motorcycle at high speed with a pursuing policeman on a patrol motorcycle close behind him, on the road leading to Nong Makha village.  Shortly after, she heard a series of bangs but did not realise they were probably gunshots.

She was on her way home from hospital and stopped to refuel her motorcycle before continuing. She then came upon the patrol officer lying on the road with blood on his face. She immediately called police.

Police were searching for the killer, and examining recordings from surveillance cameras along the road.

Police at the scene of Tuesday night's shooting on a village road in Pak Chong. (Photo supplied/ Prasit Tangprasert)