Police Arrest 9 Shooting Suspects At Crowners Pub Samarinda

East Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Endar Priantoro accompanied by Samarinda Police Chief Kombes Hendri Umar during a press conference on the shooting case in Samarinda, Monday (5/5/2025) (ANTARA/M Risyal Hidayat)

East Kalimantan Police arrested nine people suspected of being involved in a shooting at a nightclub on Jalan Imam Bonjol, Samarinda on Sunday (4/5) in the early hours of the morning.

"We managed to arrest nine perpetrators suspected of being involved in the shooting at the Samarinda nightclub," said East Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Endar Priantoro as reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 5.

The nine suspects have different roles in the premeditated murder. The incident killed a man with the initials D (34).

The suspects who were arrested were FA (field coordinator), UJ (main executor), and seven other people namely LA, UL, SU, SA, AR, DA, and N. They are alleged to have roles ranging from surveillance of victims, vehicle providers, to logistics.

"This is a premeditated murder. They have been planning and sharing roles since long ago," said the Kapolda.

During the arrest, the police secured a number of important pieces of evidence, including one short-barreled firearm, five bullet casings, two projectiles found at the scene, several rounds of active ammunition, and the motorcycle keys used by the perpetrators during the action.

Currently, the firearms are being examined at the Forensic Laboratory to trace their origins and their possible connection to other crime cases.

From the results of the interim investigation, the motive for the murder is strongly suspected to be revenge. However, the police are still deeply investigating the background of the conflict between the victims and the perpetrators.

"We are still investigating the motive further. Meanwhile, we have found indications of a personal conflict that leads to a murder plan," said Endar.

The Regional Police Chief also conveyed the possible connection between the perpetrators and the drug trafficking network. Several suspects are known to have records of involvement in narcotics cases, and the police are now investigating whether this shooting was linked to the seizure of power areas or debt problems in the illicit business.

"There are indications that this is not just revenge. We suspect it has something to do with the drug network. We will develop it further," he explained.

The suspects were charged with Article 340 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on premeditated murder, whose penalty is the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a maximum prison sentence of twenty years.

The victim died at the scene after being shot several times while waiting for the car with his wife after leaving Crowners Pub. Based on the autopsy results, the victim suffered three gunshot wounds to the chest and left waist.