Police Pocket Identity Shooter Kills 1 Person In Manokwari, One Of Them Is The Village Head

Head of the Manokwari Police Satreskrim Adjunct Commissioner of Police Raja Putra Napitupulu when met by media crews in Manokwari, West Papua, Wednesday. (ANTARA/Fransiskus Salu Weking)

WEST PAPUA - Police are still hunting for a number of shooters who killed one person in Igembosi Village, Manokwari, West Papua, on Sunday, September 15, 2024.

Head of the Manokwari Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Adjunct Commissioner of Police Raja Putra Napitupulu, said his staff already knew the identities of the perpetrators, including a village head.

"We have combed into the field, but the perpetrators fled and we make sure to continue to hunt them down," said Raja in Manokwari, Wednesday, September 18, confiscated by Antara.

He explained that the chronology of the shooting began when the victim who was driving a car with three of his colleagues returned from Tanah Rumuh District to Warmare District on Saturday, September 14, 2024.

The victim's colleague found out that a vehicle was following them from behind and right in Igembosi Village there was one vehicle parked across the road.

"The perpetrators then carried out attacks using arrows and weapons. The victim was shot in the chest," said Raja.

Victim Edy Waran was taken to the West Papua Police Bhayangkara Hospital for medical treatment, but the next day the victim died.

A number of pieces of evidence confiscated by the police included one unit of a four-wheeled vehicle used to block the victim's vehicle, a mouser type firearm, and a number of sharp weapons.

"We have gone down to the village, but there are only women there, men have fled," he added.

Based on the testimony of a number of witnesses, the shooting was strongly suspected of being motivated by revenge for the crime of premeditated murder against Yahya Sayori on April 23, 2024.

However, the police will conduct a deeper investigation to reveal in detail the motive behind the shooting that resulted in the death of the victim Edy Waran.

"According to witnesses and including the victim before he died, he also said so. However, we need to investigate more," said Napitupulu.

He added that the shooting incident indicated that there were still many people in Manokwari Regency and Arfak Mountains Regency who had firearms illegally.

Searches for possession of firearms without permits continue to be increased and require support from local governments, traditional leaders, and religious leaders so that these efforts produce positive results.

"There are still many illegal firearms circulating in the community. We have also confiscated many," said Napitupulu.