Tawau shooting video shows earlier arrest of violent rape suspect who strangled cop, police clarify

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — A viral video showing officers firing shots at a water village in Tawau is of an arrest operation on Oct 9, not a new incident or shooutout, according to the police

Tawau district police chief ACP Rosdi Mat Jusoh said in a statement that police were aware of the video circulating on social media, which shows shots being fired during an arrest at Kampung Titingan.

He said the operation took place at about 4pm on Oct 9. A team from the district Criminal Investigation Division, the Tawau police station Strike Team and the Titingan Area Police Post were hunting suspects in an armed robbery and attempted rape of an 18-year-old foreign woman. The crime occurred earlier that day at about 3.50am.

Police believe three men armed with machetes snatched two mobile phones and RM434 in cash from the victim, causing total losses estimated at RM3,500.

“During the arrest operation, a suspect acted aggressively by trying to attack a police officer with an iron rod before jumping into the sea,” he said.

“The suspect also punched and tried to strangle a police officer while being chased, until warning shots had to be fired before the suspect was successfully arrested. Two police personnel were injured.”

The suspect is a foreign man in his 30s who had no valid identification documents. Police seized an iron rod, and a preliminary urine screening test found him positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine.

Rosdi then reiterated that the viral video shows warning shots during the Oct 9 operation.

The case is being investigated under Sections 395, 397 and 354 of the Penal Code, and police are still looking for two other suspects.