KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 — Police have categorically denied that they engage in “shoot-to-kill” practices, with Criminal Investigation Department Director Datuk Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin saying in all cases where criminals have been gunned down, the police were fired upon first.
“When police officers shoot, they do not shoot to kill, but rather they shoot to stop the deadly force threat.
“It is clearly within the right of the police to act in self-defence and protect the lives of innocent bystanders,” he said in a statement.
He was commenting on the shooting of five robbers in Klang two days ago following allegations that the police had used indiscriminate force resulting in the death of the five men.
“In this particular case, there was a high speed car chase where the robbers tried to force the pursuing police vehicle off the road while firing shots indiscriminately at them. The police had no choice but to return fire,” he said.
He said no one raised a hue and cry when police officers were killed or seriously wounded by criminals in the course of discharging their duties.
“When no one appears to care, the implicit message is that the lives of police officers are expendable.
“It is thus left to the police to defend the actions of our men in blue who risk their lives daily when facing with the new breed of violent criminals who will not hesitate to shoot at the police and innocent civilians,” he said. — Bernama
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