A man with 13 prior criminal records was arrested after he allegedly attempted to kill police officers during an incident at a paddy field along Jalan Masjid Tok Che Dol in Tanah Merah on Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred at about 5.57pm when officers on patrol detected a suspicious Isuzu D-Max pickup truck and attempted to stop the vehicle for inspection. However, the suspect reportedly fled towards a nearby paddy field upon noticing police presence.
Tanah Merah District Police Chief Superintendent Mohd Haki Hasbullah said the suspect later stopped his vehicle abruptly before behaving aggressively, including reversing at high speed and colliding with the front of a police vehicle.
He added that despite being ordered to step out, the suspect refused to cooperate and repeatedly attempted to ram officers by reversing the pickup truck multiple times, escalating the danger at the scene.
In response, police officers discharged two shots aimed at the rear tyres of the vehicle in an effort to immobilise it. The first shot hit the right rear tyre while the second struck the left rear tyre.
Authorities said the suspect still refused to stop his actions, but officers eventually managed to subdue and arrest him without any injuries reported among personnel.
Checks later revealed that the suspect had an extensive criminal history involving 13 previous offences, raising concerns over repeat offenders and public safety risks.
The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, as police continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
