Friendly fire: Salesman ‘accidentally’ shoots dead co-worker
Claims gun went off; initial investigations underway, shooter arrested.
ISLAMABAD:
A man shot dead his co-worker at a medical store in F-6’s bustling Super Market late on Monday, claiming that a submachine gun (SMG) went off accidentally. The police said the suspect did not try to escape from the scene and was taken into custody.
Closed-circuit camera footage reviewed by investigators did not show any intent to murder on the part of the suspect. “You can see that he picks up the gun and it suddenly goes off targeting his colleague sitting next to him,” said the investigation officer from Kohsar police who saw the footage.
Imran Masood, the suspect, and victim, Sohail Mushtaq, were salesmen at MediPlus in Super Market for the past seven years. The police did not find any evidence of enmity between the two men or any other information that would raise suspicion of premeditation or criminal intent on the part of the suspect.
“We are investigating but so far there has been no report of even a quarrel between the two,” said the police. In his statement to the police, Masood said he was moving the gun and it went off without him even pulling the trigger. The SMG was owned by Masood.
However, the police suspect the gun was cocked and Masood accidentally pulled the trigger, firing two rounds that hit Mushtaq. The victim was shifted to Polyclinic but he could not survive his injuries.
Masood was in police custody and investigations to ascertain the exact circumstances were underway.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2012.
A man shot dead his co-worker at a medical store in F-6’s bustling Super Market late on Monday, claiming that a submachine gun (SMG) went off accidentally. The police said the suspect did not try to escape from the scene and was taken into custody.
Closed-circuit camera footage reviewed by investigators did not show any intent to murder on the part of the suspect. “You can see that he picks up the gun and it suddenly goes off targeting his colleague sitting next to him,” said the investigation officer from Kohsar police who saw the footage.
Imran Masood, the suspect, and victim, Sohail Mushtaq, were salesmen at MediPlus in Super Market for the past seven years. The police did not find any evidence of enmity between the two men or any other information that would raise suspicion of premeditation or criminal intent on the part of the suspect.
“We are investigating but so far there has been no report of even a quarrel between the two,” said the police. In his statement to the police, Masood said he was moving the gun and it went off without him even pulling the trigger. The SMG was owned by Masood.
However, the police suspect the gun was cocked and Masood accidentally pulled the trigger, firing two rounds that hit Mushtaq. The victim was shifted to Polyclinic but he could not survive his injuries.
Masood was in police custody and investigations to ascertain the exact circumstances were underway.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2012.