GEORGE TOWN: Business rivalry or involvement with Ah Long (illegal money lenders or loan sharks) could be among the motives for the shooting of a mobile phone seller last Saturday.
These are the angles being looked into by police in the ongoing investigation into the Bukit Mertajam drive-by shooting incident at 11.15am.
Sources said investigators were considering these two aspects in their investigations as the possible reason for wanting to kill Tan Yi Chin, 23,
The sources said based on the shots fired at the victim, the suspect had intended to kill him. However, the victim was lucky to have escaped death.
“Eleven shots were fired. This clearly shows that the suspect had wanted to finish off the victim. Lucky for the victim, only three shots got him, one each on the shoulder, arm and body.
“We are looking into whether the suspect was a hired killer or he had carried out the shooting himself out of revenge,” he added.
Tan was shot at 11 times near Taman Sentosa, Jalan Kulim, on Saturday.
His unidentified masked assailant opened fire through Tan’s car window before fleeing from the scene in a white vehicle.
In a follow-up operation, police detained a man, in his 40s, in Tanjung Tokong, more than 12 hours after the incident.
Investigation revealed the man detained had three previous records.
The sources said the man was picked up as he had previously threatened the victim through telecommunication exchanges in relation to business rivalry.
“However, we have yet to ascertain his involvement in the shooting.”
Tan was reported to be in a stable condition.
The case was being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder.