Police fired warning shots while arresting an armed robbery suspect in Kampung Titingan, Tawau, after he allegedly attacked officers and attempted to drown one of them during a chase on last Friday.
Tawau district police chief Assistant Commissioner Rosdi Mat Jusoh said the incident occurred at about 4pm on Oct 9, when a team from the district Criminal Investigation Division, Tawau Police Station’s Strike Team and the Titingan Area Police Post conducted an operation in the water village.
The operation was launched to track down suspects linked to an armed robbery and attempted rape involving an 18-year-old foreign woman earlier that day, at about 3.50am.
Rosdi said three men armed with machetes were believed to have stolen two mobile phones and RM434 in cash from the victim, with total losses estimated at RM3,500.
During the arrest operation, one suspect allegedly became aggressive and tried to attack police officers with an iron rod before jumping into the sea.
He also allegedly struck an officer and attempted to drown him while being pursued, prompting police to fire warning shots before successfully arresting him.
Two police officers were injured in the incident, while an iron rod believed to have been used in the attack was seized.
The suspect, a foreign man in his 30s, had no valid identification documents. An initial urine screening test also returned positive results for methamphetamine and amphetamine.
Rosdi clarified that a video circulating on social media showed police firing warning shots only, not an exchange of gunfire during the operation. He said the footage may have been misinterpreted by some social media users.
Police are still tracking down two other suspects believed to be involved in the case, which is being investigated under Sections 395, 397 and 354 of the Penal Code.
