NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A hotel chef surrendered after shooting and lightly wounding a security guard at a shopping mall in this northeastern province on Saturday night. The guard had reported his drinking at work, costing him his job.
Chef Supornpong Yimkhem, 30, turned himself in at Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima provincial police station at about 11pm on Saturday. He was charged with illegal possession of a gun and attempted murder.
He told police that he attacked Natdanai Lekkla, 30, because his "persecution" had cost the chef his job.
The shooting happened in front of Terminal 21 shopping centre in Muang district at 7.15pm on Saturday. The shooting caused particular alarm to people at the mall because it was the venue of the fatal shooting spree in February 2020.
The incident on Saturday night began with a quarrel between the chef and the guard. A fistfight ensued, and the chef then fired a locally-made short-barelled shotgun at the guard. Pellets scratched the guard's face and shoulder, but he was not seriously wounded.
The guard said that he had reported the chef's repeated drinking at work at a local hotel, causing the chef to be sacked.