First Pvt. La Ode Alwi, a member of Army's Nabire-based Battalion 753, died en route to hospital after being shot in the head and having his assault rifle forcibly taken in front of a store in Papua on Thursday
La Ode died on an airplane bound for Jayapura at 2 p.m. local time.
La Ode was reportedly in critical condition when he was rushed to Mulia hospital following the shooting at 9:30 a.m, which occurred in front of a Cipta Jaya Mulia store.
Cenderawasih Military commander Maj. Gen. M. Erwin Syafitri said that La Ode was on his way to his post in Kota Baru Mulia, along with his colleague, when they were ambushed by a man.
The ambush also hurt a bystander, Pemerina Morip, 40, who has chest injuries.
“I have ordered [Army officers] to hunt the culprit of the ambush,” Erwin said.
According to Erwin, there are several armed civilian groups roaming the areas around Puncak Jaya.
He declined to say why authorities fail to arrest members of the armed groups.
“Papua [Province] is really vast. We have Papua and West Papua, and, as far as I know them, the situation is relatively safe,” he said.
Since January this year, two people have died in shootings in Puncak Jaya.
A resident, named Kismavorit, 27 was gunned down by an unidentified man on Jan. 20.
On Jan. 28, First Brig. Sukarno from the Papua police's Mobile Brigade was also shot dead in another location in Puncak Jaya. (dmr)