Soldier kills at least 20 in mass shooting at Thailand Mall
Bangkok, Feb 8: Dozens of terrified shoppers were evacuated from a Thai mall early Sunday as armed police said they had "taken control" of the ground floor of the complex from a gunman who killed at least 20 people.
But authorities did not give any firm details on the whereabouts of the attacker - a junior army officer named Sergeant-Major Jakrapanth Thomma.
There were fears the shooter could try to hide amongst the panicked crowds.
Police from the Crime Suppression Division urged fleeing shoppers to "raise their hands" and identify themselves on the ground floor "and authorities will evacuate you".
Earlier Jakrapanth relayed his shooting spree through Facebook posts which charted the attack from an army barracks to the mall where an unknown number of shoppers remained trapped.
Hospitals across the country braced for a grim night ahead.
"There are about 20 dead," Kongcheep Tantravanich, defence ministry spokesman said.
"Police, military commandos and sharp shooters are surrounding Terminal 21," he said.
The Thai Health Minister told reporters around 10 people were already in hospital in a "serious condition."
The bloodshed began Saturday afternoon when Jakrapanth shot three people -- among them at least one soldier -- at an nearby army barracks.
"He stole an army vehicle and drove into the town centre," police Lieutenant-Colonel Mongkol Kuptasiri.
There the gunman used weapons stolen from the army arsenal to bring carnage to a town centre, walking into the Terminal 21 mall.
He "used a machine gun and shot innocent victims resulting in many injured and dead," police spokesman Krissana Pattanacharoen said.
Jakrapanth's motive remains unclear.
But throughout the day he posted images of himself and wrote several posts on his Facebook page as the attack unfolded including "should I surrender?" and "no one can escape death".
In one Facebook video -- since deleted -- the assailant, wearing an army helmet, filmed from an open jeep saying, "I'm tired... I can't pull my finger anymore" and making a trigger symbol with his hand.
There were also photos of a man in a ski mask holding up a pistol.
A Facebook spokesperson said "we have removed the gunman's accounts from our services and will work around the clock to remove any violating content related to this attack as soon as we become aware of it".
A witness who was inside the mall before the attack told AFP the shopping centre was thronging with shoppers on a long weekend.
"There were loads of people at the mall today," a 32-year-old from the city said, requesting anonymity.
"I was pretty shocked when I found out because I just left the mall not long before."
Street lights below the shopping centre were switched off as army and police units sealed off the Terminal 21 mall.
The city - better known as Korat - is home to one of Thailand's largest barracks in a country where the military is enmeshed in politics and society.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world.
Several shootings at courthouses late last year renewed concern about gun violence in the Southeast Asian country.
In another high-profile case, a two-year-old boy was among three people killed in Thailand when a masked gunman robbed a jewellery shop last month.
Late last year two lawyers were shot dead by a clerk at a court in the east of the country during a hearing over a land dispute.
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Devine’s all-round brilliance trumps Nandini’s hat-trick as GG edge DC by 4 runs
Navi Mumbai (PTI): Nandini Sharma’s maiden hat-trick went in vain as Sophie Devine starred with a breathtaking 95 and a superb final over under pressure to steer Gujarat Giants to a thrilling four-run win off the last ball over Delhi Capitals in a Women’s Premier League match here on Sunday.
This was Gujarat Giants' second win on the trot, while DC slipped to their second loss.
Sent in to bat, Giants opener Devine smashed seven fours and eight sixes in her 42-ball knock, adding 94 runs for the opening wicket with Beth Mooney (19) to set the platform.
Skipper Ashleigh Gardner kept the momentum going with a brisk 49 off 26 balls, but Nandini turned the tide with remarkable figures of 5 for 33, including a hat-trick, as Gujarat were bowled out for 209.
Chasing a stiff target, opener Lizelle Lee struck a scintillating 86 off 54 balls, studded with 12 fours and three sixes. She put on 41 runs with Shafali Verma (14) before adding 90 off 55 balls with Laura Wolvaardt (77 off 38) to keep Delhi firmly in the hunt.
Once Lee was dismissed by Kashvee Gautam (1/48) in the 15th over, Rajeshwari Gayakwad removed Chinelle Henry (7) to leave Delhi at 146 for three.
Needing 64 off the last 25 balls, skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (15) joined Wolvaardt as the pair plundered 58 runs in 23 balls to bring the equation down to seven off the final five deliveries.
Devine then returned to the spotlight, dismissing both batters and conceding just two runs in the final over to seal a dramatic win.
Earlier, Devine set the tone early, striking three fours off Chinelle Henry before taking Nandini apart with two fours and a six in the fourth over. She was particularly severe on Sneh Rana, hammering two fours and four successive sixes in an over that yielded 32 runs and powered Gujarat Giants to 80 without loss in the powerplay.
The New Zealander brought up her half-century in just 25 balls before Shree Charani broke the opening stand with a sharp caught-and-bowled effort in the ninth over to remove Mooney. Devine briefly regained control, hitting Charani for three sixes, but fell in the 11th over bowled by Nandini Sharma.
Skipper Ashleigh Gardner kept Gujarat Giants on course with a brisk 49 off 26 balls, smashing four boundaries and three sixes to take the side past the 200-mark.
Jemimah Rodrigues pulled off a fine catch to dismiss Georgia Wareham (3), while Henry removed Gardner and Bharti Fulmali (3).
Nandini then capped a memorable outing by picking up four wickets in the final over, including three off the last three balls, to complete her maiden hat-trick.
