Suspect in kindergarten hostage drama dies

The hammer-wielding man who held 30 children and four teachers hostage at a kindergarten in Taman Sungai Abong Cemerlang in Muar succumbed to his injuries yesterday at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital at 9.15pm.

Johor deputy police chief Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said the 40-year-old man, hit in the head by a single shot when police stormed the kindergarten this afternoon, died at 9.15pm.

“The police, however, are awaiting a post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of his death,” he told reporters at a dialogue with parents of the children at the Muar District Headquarters last night.

All the 30 children, aged between three and six years, and their four teachers are safe and sent to the hospital for a check up.

Jalaluddin said the hostage-taker, who lived with his family about 2km from the kindergarten, had no history of mental illness but had   two previous drug cases recorded against him in the Muar district in 1995 and Negri Sembilan in 2000.
    
On claims that the police were slow in taking action, Jalaluddin said although the police arrived early at the scene, they had to take precautions to ensure the safety of the hostages who had been locked  upin a room in the first floor of the two-storey house.

“The police had to study the suspect's behaviour and the weapons on him as well as to tire him so that he would not be aggressive.

“The services of a counsellor and family members were also sought to coax him into releasing the captives and surrender,” he said, adding that the police would also hold a dialogue with the kindergarten’s management on safety measures to be taken to prevent  a recurrence of  such an event.

Jalaluddin said the kindergarten would be closed for three days to facilitate police investigations.

- Bernama