BANGKOK – The parents of the 14-year-old suspect of the deadly shooting at a Bangkok shopping mall issued an apology statement yesterday while vowing to fully cooperate with the legal process.
“We offer our deepest apologies to the victims, the families of the deceased and the injured, from the recent shooting incident that occurred as the result of our son’s actions at the Siam Paragon department store,” Xinhua quoted the statement released by the Situation Command Centre set up by the Thai government following the shooting.
The suspect opened fire at a renowned Bangkok shopping mall on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring five others. The Chinese Embassy in Thailand confirmed that one Chinese national was killed and another injured.
The suspect was arrested by police at the scene and faces multiple charges including murder. Thailand’s Justice Minister Thawee Sodsong told a press briefing yesterday that the suspect is being held in a juvenile detention centre after a court denied bail.
“My family and I did not apply for bail because we intend to cooperate fully with the authorities in search of the facts and to ensure that there will not be a repeat of the same violent incident,” said the parents’ statement.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked by this incident and accept responsibility as fully as we can. We would also like to promise that we will cooperate with the police, government officials and every agency necessary regarding these legal proceedings,” read the statement.
The parents also vowed to support any mitigation and efforts to remedy the effects of this event, according to the statement.
The shooting has shocked Thailand, as the government has vowed to tighten gun control, among other measures. – Bernama, October 7, 2023
