Security in Puncak Jaya, Papua, continues to deteriorate with the latest incident on Wednesday resulting in the death of a civilian.
Atril Wahidin was reportedly shot in the head at 6:30 p.m. local time. He died instantly.
Papua police spokesperson Snr. Comr. Wachyono said the victim was inside his kiosk at Wuyuneri village in Mulia district when the gunman came up and shot him.
The perpetrator, part of a group of gunmen, fired another shot that just missed a passing motorcycle taxi driver.
The gunmen then engaged in an hour-long shootout with police before fleeing.
Atril’s body was taken away by mobile brigade and Puncak Jaya Police officers and later flown to Jayapura before sent home to Padang, West Sumatra.
“When evacuating the victim, the police found a shell of an AK-47 automatic rifle. There were blood splatters and the victim was dead in his chair,” Wachyono said.
Atril was a former driver of Aneb Murib, the head of Mewulok district, who was also the target of a shooting. Aneb and his family were traveling to Karubate village when they were assaulted.
“There was no fatalities in that incident,” Wachyono said.
Atril’s shooting has raised fear among Mulia residents. “The armed group has entered the town. It’s frightening. The residents are scared of going out at night and prefer to stay at home,” Agus, a resident, told The Jakarta Post.
Incidents of violence in Papua do not look to have abated this year, with four people being killed.
The last deadly attack occured on June 16 when a group of unidentified gunmen killed First Brig. Agus Suhendra during a police stakeout in a forest near Yambi village in Puncak Jaya regency. Agus was shot in an ambush when searching for perpetrators of a shooting in April in which three people died.
The gunmen then engaged in an hour-long shootout with police before fleeing.