Panic in bank as guard’s gun goes off

The police called on the security firm to ensure that their personnel are properly trained in handling firearms as the incident could have caused injury or loss of lives.

GEORGE TOWN: Staff and customers of a bank here scurried for cover when a security guard accidentally fired a shot from an unlocked pump gun in the bank at Jalan Datuk Keramat this afternnon.

The shot was believed to be accidental as the security guard claimed that he had forgotten to lock the gun.

It was learnt that the security guard was behind the counter when the Buddy Guard MFTD pump gun, which he was carrying with the barrel pointing to the ground suddenly went off.

The guard has since been detained to facilitate police investigation with state police chief A Thaiveegan saying that they would not leave any stones unturned to ensure a thorough investigation to determine if it was planned.

“We will investigate from all angles and aspects including if it was planned or whether it was purely an accident,” he told reporters at the scene.

On Oct 24, a security guard shot dead bank officer Norazita Abu Talib, 37, after she had opened the strongroom of an AmBank branch in Subang Jaya, Selangor and fled with about RM450,000 from the vault.

He said police viewed the case seriously as the security firm should ensure that proper training be given to the security guards as it could have caused injury and even the loss of lives as it involved firearms.

Police have obtained footages from the bank’s closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) to assist in their probe.