A police officer allegedly shot his wife dead inside a municipal kindergarten in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district at about 11am this morning before fleeing the scene.
Police tracked Pol Sub Lt Tassapong Thongthach, the alleged gunman, to a residence and, at the time of this report, were attempting to persuade him to surrender.
Everyone else, including the children at the school, was reported to be safe.
Police who rushed to the site found the body of a woman on the first floor of the canteen. She was identified as Pailin Thongthach, 48.
She was found with a gunshot wound near her left ear. A 9mm bullet casing was found nearby.
Several children were frightened and crying after the shooting.
All 44 pupils were moved to a safe area in front of the school, and their parents were called to pick them up.
Witnesses said the gunman had driven away from the school after the shooting in a white Honda sedan.
A 57-year-old witness told police that he saw a man drive to the school and park before approaching the victim and talking to her. He then heard a gunshot.
The man then returned to the white sedan and drove away.
Police later identified the alleged gunman as Pol Sub Lt Tassapong, the victim’s husband.
