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Man shot dead, 2 others detained in incident near Shangri-La hotel
AsiaOne Sunday, May 31, 2015
UPDATED: SINGAPORE - A 34-year-old Singaporean man was shot dead in the vicinity of Shangri-La hotel at 4.36am on Sunday (May 31) morning.
Two others, who are also Singaporeans aged 26 and 31, have been detained, confirmed the police in a Facebook post.
The incident that took place along Orange Grove Road, near the venue where the Shangri-La Dialogue, a top-level security summit attended by leaders around the world, is being held.
Police said that the trio, who were in a Singapore-registered red Subaru Impreza, was earlier stopped at a police vehicular checkpoint set up along Ardmore Park.
When asked to open the car boot for routine checks, the 34-year-old driver suddenly accelerated the vehicle towards Anderson Road.
Despite police warnings to stop, the driver continued to crash through police barricades, endangering the lives of officers.
"Police opened fire at the vehicle to stop further danger. The vehicle subsequently stopped at the junction of Orange Grove Road and Anderson Road," said the police in a statement.
The 34-year-old driver was pronounced dead at scene.
The 31-year-old passenger sustained injuries during the incident and was conveyed to hospital conscious, said the police.
Police and officers from SAF's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Explosives (CBRE) Defence Group searched the vehicle but found no explosives, arms or weapons. No weapons were found on the suspects either.
However, a bag containing white powdery substances believed to contain controlled drugs was recovered in the vehicle.
Substances believed to be controlled drugs and an item believed to be a drug-taking utensil were found on the men arrested.
The driver and one of the passengers are wanted by the authorities for various offences.
Police investigations are ongoing, but they believe this is an isolated incident.
Due to the ongoing Shangri-La Dialogue, security is tight in the area. Vehicle and person check points have been put in place in the vicinity of Shangri-La hotel.
The final day of talks at the Shangri-La Dialogue proceeded despite the incident this morning.
Orange Grove Road, Anderson Road and Ardmore Park, which were temporarily closed earlier today to facilitate police operations, are now open to all human and vehicular traffic.
Police confirm that one man was shot dead and two others were detained in an...
Posted by Singapore Police Force on Saturday, May 30, 2015
<<Well done Home Team - Shangri-La incident>> The hundreds of delegates who attended the Shangri-La Dialogue might not...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen - Defence Minister on Sunday, 31 May 2015
Shangri-La Dialogue security stepped up as Singapore police shoot dead man in car that crashed through barricades
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 31 May, 2015, 12:20pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 31 May, 2015, 12:20pm
Associated Press
Armed Gurkhas from the Singapore police force stand guard along the road leading to the Shangri-La hotel where the 14th Asia Security Summit, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue 2015 is being held. Photo: AFP
Police in Singapore stepped up security around the venue of an international security conference on Sunday following a shootout at a roadblock in which officers fatally shot one man and detained two others.
The Shangri-La Dialogue security conference, a major event in the Asia-Pacific region attended by U.S. Secretary of Defence Ash Carter and delegates from dozens of countries from around the world, was uninterrupted but access to the venue was restricted.
Police said in a statement on Sunday that officers opened fire after a vehicle with three people aboard crashed through police barricades. Substances believed to be drugs were found on one of the two people detained. The third man was shot dead, police said.
Security around the conference venue was stepped up and traffic rerouted. Police said they were in control of the situation.
Officers opened fire on the motorist as he tried to flee a checkpoint in Singapore, where shootings are extremely rare.
11:03, Sunday 31 May 2015
Police officers carry away a gun shot victim in a body bag behind a cordoned area near the Shangri-La hotel
An international security summit was put on lockdown in Singapore after police shot dead a man who crashed his car through the barriers at a checkpoint.
The 34-year-old, who had two passengers in the vehicle, was stopped at the police checkpoint near the Shangri-La Hotel, which was hosting the top-level conference, just after 4am (local time).
But when officers asked him to open the boot of his car, he sped off.
Police say the car crashed through police barricades and was "endangering the lives of the officers" before they "opened fire at the vehicle to stop further danger".
The driver was killed and one of his passengers was wounded and taken to hospital. All three men in the car were Singaporean.
Both passengers were arrested after police found what they believe to be controlled drugs and a "drug-making utensil" in the car.
"The driver and one of the passengers are wanted by authorities for various offences," police said in a statement, adding that no weapons or explosives were found in the vehicle.
The location of the incident meant that the Asia-Pacific security summit being held at the Shangri-La was briefly put on lockdown.
Roads and pathways leading up to the hotel in the leafy diplomatic quarter were shut off with barricade tape.
The annual three-day conference, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, was being attended by defence ministers and top military officials from around the world and was due to end at midday on Sunday (local time).
A local news photographer said a bullet hole could be seen on the front windscreen of the vehicle as it was towed away and a resident told the Straits Times newspaper that she had heard two gunshots just after 4am.
Singapore has among the world's toughest drug laws, with a possible death penalty for people convicted of trafficking large amount of heroin, for example.
Shootings are very rare in Singapore, which has one of the world's lowest crime rates.
S'porean man shot dead by police, 2 others detained in incident near Shangri-La Hotel
Published on May 31, 2015 8:21 AM
The red car that police shot at came to a stop at Orange Grove Road. A man was shot dead by police and two others were detained near the Shangri-La Hotel on on Sunday, May 31, 2015. The trio travelling in the car dashed through a checkpoint and police barricades when police asked to inspect the car boot. Substances believed to be drugs were found. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
By Lee Min Kok, Danson Cheong & Jermyn Chow
SINGAPORE - A 34-year-old Singaporean man was shot dead by police and two others were arrested in an incident near the Shangri-La Hotel, where a high-level security summit was being held.
The incident happened at 4.36 am on Sunday, said the police. The two men arrested,who are also Singaporeans, are 26 and 31 years old respectively.
The three men in a Singapore-registered red Subaru Impreza were stopped at a police vehicular checkpoint set up along Ardmore Park.
When police officers asked to inspect the car boot, the 34-year-old driver suddenly accelerated the vehicle and headed towards Anderson Road. Despite warnings to stop, the driver continued to crash through police barricades, endangering the lives of the officers, the police said.
"Police opened fire at the vehicle to stop further danger. The vehicle subsequently stopped at the junction of Orange Grove Road and Anderson Road," said the police statement.
A bag containing white powdery substances, believed to be controlled drugs, was recovered in the car.
Substances which appeared to be controlled drugs and an item believed to be a drug-taking utensil were also found on the men arrested.
The driver and one of the passengers were wanted by the authorities for various offences, said the police. The 31-year-old passenger was injured during the incident and was taken to the hospital conscious.
Police and officers from SAF’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Explosives Defence Group have searched the car. No explosives, arms or weapons were found in the vehicle.
No weapons were found on the men. The incident appeared to be an isolated one, according to preliminary investigations by the police.
The red Subaru Impreza was towed away close to noon time.
Security measures, including vehicle and person check points, have been put in place in the vicinity of the Shangri-La Hotel because of the Shangri-La Dialogue. The three-day security summit, which closes later on Sunday, was attended by defence chiefs from 26 nations, security analysts, academics and media from around the world.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who was attending the dialogue on Sunday, told reporters: "Police have kept me informed of the situation which they have got swiftly under control. The investigations so far indicate that it's a situation related to drugs."
Mr Teo, who is also Minister for Home Affairs, added: "The police will act firmly according to the law with anyone who breaks the law to make sure that we maintain public safety and security."
Ms Rachel Maher, 42, a resident of the nearby Ardmore II condo, said she and her husband heard two gunshots after 4am.
"It was quick, we heard the gunshots, jumped out of bed and looked out the window."
She added: "It was scary, at that point we didn't know the justification for the shots."
Ms Daisy Umarani, a security guard at Ardmore Residence condominium, was on duty when she heard several gunshots. "I was shocked, but I couldn't go out to look, I needed to stay at the condo," said the 40-year-old.
At about 9am on Sunday, the entrance to Anderson Road from Stevens Road was cordoned off. Residents who wanted to return to their apartments in the area had to be escorted by police officers. The entrance to Anderson Road was reopened at about 11am.
Police armoured vehicles and Special Operations Command vehicles were seen leaving the scene at about 9.27am.
Orange Grove Road, Anderson Road and Ardmore Park were temporarily closed following the incident, but all three roads were reopened to traffic by 11.10am.
Shangri-La shooting: Police identify man shot dead and two arrested
Published on Jun 1, 2015 3:11 AM
The red sedan car with a bullet hole on the front windscreen which was involved in an early morning shooting incident on May 31, 2015. A man identified as Mohamed Taufik Zahar was shot dead and two others, Mohamed Ismail and Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin were arrested after a car illegally bypassed a police vehicular checkpoint. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
SINGAPORE - Police have identified the man shot dead in the incident at the Shangri-la Hotel as Mohamed Taufik Zahar.
The 34-year-old Singaporean was the driver of the car that crashed through barriers near the hotel early on Sunday where a high-level security summit was taking place, the Singapore Police Force said in a statement early on Monday morning.
The two passengers in the car who were arrested were identified as Mohamed Ismail, 31, and Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 26, police said. Both are also Singaporeans.
The former sustained injuries during the incident but was conscious when taken to hospital. Substances believed to be controlled drugs and an item, believed to be a drug-taking utensil, were found on the two men who were arrested, police said. They found no weapons on the three subjects.
At around 4.30am on Sunday at a highly secured checkpoint along Ardmore Park, the three men in a red Subaru Impreza defied orders to allow police to check the boot of the car.
Instead, the 34-year-old driver tried to make a run for it and crashed the car through the barricades. "Despite police warnings to stop, the driver continued to crash through police barricades, endangering the lives of the officers. Police opened fire at the vehicle to stop further danger," a police spokesman said.
The car, which had a single bullet hole in the front windscreen, came to a stop on a grass patch barely 250m from the entrance of the Shangri-La Hotel. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. It was the first time in seven years that police have had to open fire, with the last incident - involving a knife-wielding man who continued to advance on an officer at Outram Park MRT station - occurring in 2008.
Police said the deceased man was wanted for failing to attend court for an offence of criminal intimidation, involvement in drugs and has other criminal records.
Ismail is also wanted for drug related offences and for failing to stop at a roadblock. Both he and Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin have drug related offences and criminal records.
The two men are being investigated by the Central Narcotics Bureau and will be charged in court today for a drug trafficking offence.
Here is the full police update on the incident from the Singapore Police Force Public Affairs Department:
Passengers in shooting case near Shangri-La Hotel charged with heroin trafficking
Published on Jun 1, 2015 12:16 PM
A damaged red car with a bullet hole on its windscreen is being towed away in Singapore near the Shangri-La hotel on May 31, 2015. Two passengers in the car that crashed through police barriers near the Shangri-la Hotel in the wee hours of Sunday were charged in court with heroin trafficking on Monday. -- PHOTO: AFP
By Amir Hussain
SINGAPORE - Two passengers in the car that crashed through police barriers near the Shangri-La Hotel in the wee hours of Sunday were charged in court with heroin trafficking on Monday.
Mohamed Ismail, 31, and Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 26, were both charged with possessing three packets of approximately 9g of heroin for the purpose of trafficking.
The men will be remanded for a week to facilitate investigations into possible further offences.
Mohamed Ismail, who sustained injuries during the incident but was conscious when taken to hospital, was charged via videolink.
The duo were arrested after the driver of the red Subaru Impreza car they were in was shot dead by police at around 4.30am on Sunday.
The driver, Mohamed Taufik Zahar, 34, defied orders to allow police to check the boot of the car and made a run for it, crashing the car through police barricades.
The area around Shangri-La Hotel had been placed under a tight security net, given that it was hosting a major security summit attended by defence ministers and security chiefs.
The police then opened fire at the vehicle. The car, which had a single bullet hole in the front windscreen, came to a stop on a grass patch barely 250m from the entrance of the Shangri-La Hotel. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the deceased man was wanted for failing to attend court for an offence of criminal intimidation. He also has previous drug offences and other criminal records.
Ismail is also wanted for drug related offences and for failing to stop at a roadblock. Both he and Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin have previous drug related offences and criminal records.
If convicted, Ismail and Syahid face between 5 and 15 years' imprisonment and between 5 and 15 strokes of the cane.
Man in Shangri-La shooting faces new charge of abetting driver to commit rash act
Published on Jun 8, 2015 1:07 PM
One of the two passengers in the car that crashed through security barriers near Shangri-La Hotel last month was accused on Monday of abetting the driver to commit a rash act to endanger the personal safety of two cops. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
By Elena Chong
SINGAPORE - One of the two passengers in the car that crashed through security barriers near Shangri-La Hotel last month was accused on Monday of abetting the driver to commit a rash act to endanger the personal safety of two cops.
Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 26, is alleged to have shouted "jalan jalan'' (Malay for go) to the driver of the red Subaru Impreza, Mohamad Taufik Zahar, 34.
Taufik suddenly accelerated towards Mr Mohamad Zahid Suhaimi and Ms See Toa Chew Yin and crashed into a concrete barrier along Ardmore Park at about 4.15am on May 31.
The police opened fire on the vehicle. The car, which had a single bullet hole in the front windscreen, came to a stop on a grass patch barely 250m from the hotel entrance. Taufik was pronounced dead at the scene.
The area around the hotel had been placed under a tight security net, as it was hosting a major security summit attended by defence ministers and security chiefs.
Syahid and co-accused Mohamed Ismail, 31, were charged last week with having three packets of about 9g of heroin for the purpose of trafficking along Orange Grove Road that morning. Mohamed's charge was read to him in hospital as he was wounded during the incident.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Yang Ziliang applied for the duo to be remanded for another week at Central police division for investigation to be completed.
He is also asking for DNA and consumption reports.
District Judge Eddy Tham granted the application and fixed the case for mention again on June 15.
The maximum penalty for drug trafficking is 20 years' jail and 15 strokes of the cane.
For abetment to commit a rash act, the punishment is six months' jail and a $2,500 fine.
Shangri-La case: Passenger sentenced to 8 years' jail and three strokes for drug offences
Published on Jun 15, 2015 2:51 PM
Singapore police officers inspect a red sedan car with a bullet hole on the windscreen which was involved in an early morning shooting incident after it illegally bypassed a police vehicular checkpoint, on May 31, 2015. One of the passengers in the car that crashed through a security barrier near Shangri-La Hotel last month was sentenced to eight years' jail and three strokes of the cane on Monday, June 15, for drug offences. -- ST FILE PHOTO
By Elena Chong
SINGAPORE - One of the passengers in the car that crashed through a security barrier near Shangri-La Hotel last month was sentenced to eight years' jail and three strokes of the cane on Monday for drug offences.
Mohamed Ismail, 31, a cleaner, admitted to two counts of drug possession and one of drug consumption.
He was among three people in a red Subaru Impreza which failed to stop and crashed through the security barrier. Police fired a shot which killed the driver, Mohamad Taufik Zahar alias Ben, 34. The other accused Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 26, who also faces several fresh charges, will plead guilty on Wednesday. The two men were originally accused of drug trafficking.
In Mohamed's case, the court heard that he had three packets of no less than 7.55g of powdery substance which was found to contain not less than 0.27g of heroin along Orange Grove Road at about 4.50am on May 31.
He also admitted to having two packets of not less than 1.41g of methamphetamine or Ice that morning as well as taking morphine the day before. He admitted in his statement that the heroin was for his own use.
He had bought three packets of heroin and two packets of crystalline substance from a man called Ah Boy near Geylang Lorong 15 on May 29 for a total of $480.
As he has been convicted of drug offences before, he received enhanced punishments.
Seven other charges including one of failing to stop at a police road block were taken into consideration during his sentencing.
Second man in Shangri-La shooting gets 7 years' jail and caning for drug offences
Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin admitted to abetment to commit a rash act, two counts of enhanced possession of drugs and taking Ice on May 31, 2015. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
Published Dec 21, 2015, 12:04 pm SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent
SINGAPORE - The second passenger in a car that was shot at after it crashed through security barriers near Shangri-La Hotel in May this year was given seven years' jail and three strokes of the cane for drug offences on Monday (Dec 21).
Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin admitted to abetment to commit a rash act, two counts of enhanced possession of drugs and taking Ice on May 31 this year.
The 27-year-old kitchen helper was sitting behind a red Subaru Impreza when he instigated the driver, Mohammad Taufik Zahar, to do a rash act to endanger the personal safety of two police officers by shouting "Jalan! Jalan!" (Go! Go!) in Malay to him along Ardmore Park at about 4.15am that day.
Taufik then suddenly accelerated towards Sergeant Mohamad Zahid Suhami, 29, and Senior Staff Sergeant See Toa Chew Yin, 30. He crashed the car into a concrete barrier, endangering their personal safety.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Yang Ziliang said the car, driven by Taufik, was stopped at a road block on Ardmore Park at about 4.15am that day. Syahid was sitting at the rear left passenger seat while Mohamed Ismail, 32, was seated infront.
Syahid was observed to be nervous and defensive and asked two policemen why they wanted to check him.
He was worried as he had methamphetamine, or Ice, and nimetrazepam in a pouch beside him. He had also taken Ice the night before at his home.
He suddenly shouted in Malay to the driver to "Jalan! Jalan!'' which means "Go! Go!".
The driver revved the engine and suddenly accelerated towards Sgt Zahid and Senior Staff Sgt See Toa, who were near the concrete barrier.
Senior Staff Sgt See Toa backed away from the concrete barrier while Sgt Zahid, who was seated in a police vehicle, braced himself for impact when they heard the engine rev.
The car then crashed into the concrete barrier beside the police car, pushed the barrier aside and drove through.
Police opened fire at the vehicle, and the car later came to a stop.
Taufik, 34, died on the spot. The car had a single bullet hole in the front windscreen.
Mohamed is serving a sentence of eight years and three strokes for drug offences.
The area around the hotel had been placed under a tight security net as it was hosting the Shangri- La Dialogue, a major security summit attended by defence ministers and security chiefs.
Syahid committed the present offences about a year after his release from drug supervision. He had previous convictions for drug-related offences.
His lawyer Nadia Moynihan said his client's infant daughter died in July this year. He had reported flashbacks of his incident and hearing gunshots.
Four other drug-related charges were taken into consideration.
Shangri-La shooting: Gurkha officers fired five shots at driver who crashed through barriers
Police officers inspecting the red sedan car which illegally bypassed a police vehicular checkpoint on May 31, 2015.PHOTO: ST FILE
Published 11 hours ago
Amir Hussain
SINGAPORE - Despite repeated warnings to stop his car at a tight security net placed around the Shangri-La Hotel in the early hours of May 31 last year, a 34-year-old man accelerated the vehicle and crashed it through a concrete security barrier.
This prompted two Gurkha Contingent officers guarding a final layer of security just outside the hotel to fire five shots to stop the vehicle, a Coroner's Court heard on Tuesday (Jan 26). The driver, Mohamad Taufik Zahar alias Ben, died from a single gunshot wound to the side of his head near the upper right ear. The bullet fragmented upon impact and there was no exit wound.
The area around the hotel had been placed under a tight security net from May 28 to 31, as it was hosting the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security summit attended by defence ministers and military chiefs from 27 countries. Given its "significant potential as a prime target for terrorist attacks", the police set up a high level of security for the event, State Counsel and Second Solicitor-General Kwek Mean Luck told the court.
Among other things, there were road blocks and security checks on people and vehicles at and around the event venue. Of particular concern was vehicles carrying improvised explosive devices - a weapon commonly used in terror attacks.
The road blocks involved an initial check, detailed inspections, and concrete crash barriers. Beyond this, there were a pair of armed Gurkha Contingent officers who were "deployed to use all lawful means to prevent any vehicle from crashing through the barriers", Mr Kwek said.
The court heard from Deputy Superintendent of Police Roy Lim that around midnight on the day of the incident, Taufik and his friends Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 27, and Mohamed Ismail, 32, had gone to Geylang to look for prostitutes.
Taufik, who did not have a valid driving licence, had quarrelled with his wife and had taken without her consent the keys to a red Subaru Impreza she had rented. He was also wanted for failing to attend court to face charges of theft, drug consumption and criminal intimidation. Unable to find any prostitutes there, the trio decided to head to Orchard Towers instead. But Taufik missed a turn, and had to drive through Ardmore Park.
At about 4.17am, he drove past an auxiliary police officer, ignoring his signal for him to slow down. The car later stopped before a second auxiliary police officer, who directed them to proceed to a vehicle check station.
There, two police officers approached the car. Syahid, who was in the rear centre passenger seat of the car, appeared agitated and asked the officers through the window why they were being checked. Then, he shouted at Taufik to "Jalan! Jalan! (Go! Go!)".
As the car accelerated, one of the officers tapped on the windows repeatedly and shouted for them to stop but to no avail. The other policeman shouted "crash through" twice to alert other officers.
On seeing the car accelerating towards the final line of concrete barriers, the two Gurkha officers stepped off the kerb where they had been stationed at and moved towards it.
As the car crashed through a concrete barrier, a police inspector sounded the air horn and shouted "Dash through" several times.
The Gurkha officers raised their weapons at shoulder-level, and shouted "Police, stop!" repeatedly as they walked towards the moving car.
As the car turned left, after crashing through the concrete barrier, one of the Gurkha officers fired a shot at the driver.
The car did not slow down, prompting the second Gurkha officer to fire two shots in quick succession. But the vehicle still did not stop and the officer fired another two shots at the driver.
The final shot hit Taufik, and the car then slowed to a crawling speed and veered to its right.
The Gurkha policemen followed the car for about 30m.
Mohamed and Syahid fled from the car, which later came to a standstill on a grass verge near the junction of Anderson Road and Orange Grove Road.
Mohamed was arrested at the driveway of Shangri-La Hotel and found to have 78 Erimin-5 tablets as well as sachets of heroin and methamphetamine.
Syahid was arrested at Shangri-La Apartments. He admitted that a pouch in the car, which contained 17 Erimin-5 tablets and two packets of methamphetamine, belonged to him.
Mohamed admitted to consuming heroin just before meeting Taufik, while Syahid admitted to consuming methamphetamine the previous evening.
Taufik also had traces of methamphetamine and Erimin-5 in his body.
Syahid, who has a string of previous convictions, for drug offences, robbery, theft, rioting and causing hurt by dangerous means, was last year sentenced to seven years' jail and three strokes of the cane for abetment to commit a rash act and drug offences.
Mohamed, who has previous convictions for rioting and drug offences, has been sentenced to eight years' jail and three strokes of the cane for drug offences.
The Coroner's inquiry is set to continue on Wednesday.
A police cordon after the incident outside the Shangri-La on May 31 last year. Two Gurkha officers standing guard outside had opened fire at a car that was accelerating towards the final line of concrete barriers after repeated warnings for the driver to stop went unheeded.ST FILE PHOTO
Published 1 hour ago
The Vehicle Counter Assault Teams, made up of pairs of armed Gurkha officers, had a straightforward mission - use all lawful means to prevent any vehicle from crashing through barriers and leaving the vehicle check stations set up outside Shangri-La Hotel.
On May 31 last year, two officers saw that a car had driven off without being checked by police and was accelerating towards the final line of concrete barriers.
Moving towards the car, the Gurkha officers raised their weapons while shouting repeatedly for the driver to stop, State Counsel and Second Solicitor-General Kwek Mean Luck told the court yesterday.
But it kept on accelerating, and crashed through the barriers, before turning towards the Shangri-La Hotel and surrounding residential apartments.
What happened at 4.17am on May 31 last year
•A red Subaru saloon approaches a vehicle check station set up along Ardmore Park, but heeds neither an auxiliary police officer's (APO) signal to slow down nor a "Slow Down Police Check Ahead" sign.
•A second APO stationed between the first and second layer of concrete barriers to control and direct traffic towards the station notices the car approaching him fast. He waves his traffic wand to signal the car to slow down. The vehicle stops in front of the APO and he directs it to proceed to the station.
•The car moves past a third layer of concrete barriers at the start of the vehicle check station and stops in front of two policemen. The officers approach the car on the left.
•The rear passenger appears agitated and asks why the car is being checked. Before the officers can reply, the man shouts for the driver to go. The driver ignores repeated instructions to stop and crashes through the final line of concrete barriers at the end of the vehicle check station.
•A police inspector sounds the air horn and shouts "Dash Through" several times to warn other officers, who fall prone on the ground.
•Two Gurkha officers standing guard in front of Shangri-La Hotel open fire after their repeated verbal warnings of "Police, stop!" go unheeded. A single bullet from the first Gurkha officer's weapon enters the car's front windscreen, but it continues moving. A fourth shot from the second officer's weapon hits the driver on the side of his head near the upper right ear. The car slows to a crawl.
•Two other Gurkha officers don helmets and vests and check on the car, while the pair who opened fire return to their posts.
One of the Gurkha officers fired a shot in the driver's direction. The car kept on moving. The second officer then fired two shots. With no indication that the car was stopping, the second officer fired two more shots. At this point, the car slowed to a crawling speed.
The Gurkhas are elite soldiers from Nepal employed in the British Army, Indian Army and Singapore Police Force. Singapore's Gurkha Contingent was formed in 1949. The unit saw action in the ensuing decades against militant unions and in racial riots, where their image as a neutral force became an asset. About 2,000 of them are serving in the Singapore Police Force.
Shangri-La shooting: Car took wrong turn into security zone
Ms Nassida Nasir (left), wife of driver Mohamad Taufik Zahar who was shot dead, at the coroner's inquiry with an unidentified woman. ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
Published 1 hour ago
Amir Hussain
They were going to Orchard Towers after failing to pick up prostitutes in Geylang - until a wrong turn put them at a high-security checkpoint outside Shangri-La Hotel.
With drugs in the car and wanted by police, 34-year-old driver Mohamad Taufik Zahar was urged by one of his passengers to drive off. He sped off in the direction of the hotel, but a pair of Gurkha officers fired five shots at the vehicle.
One hit Taufik on the side of the head, near his right ear. There was no exit wound as the the bullet fragmented upon impact. He died on the spot. These dramatic details were revealed yesterday at a coroner's inquiry into Taufik's death in the early hours of May 31.
The hotel in Orange Grove Road and its vicinity had been placed under a tight security net from May 28 to 31, as it was hosting the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security summit attended by defence ministers and military chiefs from 27 countries. Of particular concern were vehicles carrying improvised explosive devices - a weapon commonly used in terror attacks, State Counsel and Second Solicitor-General Kwek Mean Luck said.
The court heard that Taufik had quarrelled with his wife that day. At about midnight, after she fell asleep, he took the keys to her rented red Subaru and drove to meet two friends in Geylang. Unable to find prostitutes there, they decided to head to Orchard Towers.
The trio had agreed to evade any roadblocks along the way. All had consumed drugs separately and the two passengers also had drugs with them. Taufik and one of his friends were also wanted by police - Taufik for missing a pre-trial conference for theft, drug consumption and criminal intimidation charges; and his friend for drug-related offences and for failing to stop at a roadblock.
But Taufik missed the turn into Claymore Hill at Draycott Drive towards Draycott Park and had to take the next turn into Draycott Drive towards Ardmore Park.
At 4.17am, he drove past an auxiliary police officer stationed along Ardmore Park. He stopped the vehicle in front of a second auxiliary officer, who was stationed between two layers of concrete barriers to control and direct traffic towards a vehicle check station.
He then drove past a third layer of concrete barriers at the start of the vehicle check station and stopped the car in front of two policemen. The duo approached the vehicle on its left, and asked for the left front and rear windows to be lowered.
Taufik's friend Mohamed Ismail, 32, sat in the front passenger seat, while another friend, Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 27, sat in the rear centre passenger seat.
Syahid appeared agitated and asked the officers through the window why they were being checked. But before they could reply, he shouted at Taufik to "Jalan! Jalan!" or "Go! Go!" in Malay.
One of the policemen moved alongside the car and tapped on the windows repeatedly while shouting "Stop!", to no avail. The other police officer, seeing that the car was about to crash into the concrete barriers ahead, shouted "Crash Through!" twice to alert other officers.
As the car crashed through the fourth layer of concrete security barriers, an officer sounded the air horn and shouted "Dash Through!" several times. Gurkha officers shot at the car five times and the car finally slowed. Mohamed and Syahid fled from the car, which later came to a standstill near the junction of Anderson Road and Orange Grove Road.
Mohamed, who went on to receive eight years in jail and three strokes of the cane for drug offences, was arrested in the hotel's driveway. Syahid was nabbed at Shangri-La Apartments. He was sentenced to seven years' jail and three strokes for abetment to commit a rash act and for drug offences last year.
Shangri-La Shooting: Gurkha officer re-enacts incident during Coroner's Inquiry
The car that Mohamed Taufik Zahar drove through concrete security barriers, with a bullet hole on its front windscreen on May 31, 2015.PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
Published 4 hours ago
Amir Hussain
SINGAPORE - A Gurkha officer guarding a high-security checkpoint outside the Shangri-La Hotel had just started his shift in the early hours of May 31 when he saw a car crash through the concrete security barriers despite shouts to stop.
The officer, who was part of a two-man Vehicle Counter Assault Team at the checkpoint, immediately moved towards the car, and aimed his firearm at it.
After his own shouts for the car to stop went unheeded, he aimed his weapon at the silhouette of the 34-year-old driver, Mohamed Taufik Zahar, and opened fire, just as he had been trained to do.
His fourth and final shot hit Taufik, and the car came to a crawl.
On Wednesday (Jan 27), the Gurkha officer gave his version of events on the second day of a Coroner's Inquiry into Taufik's death. As he could not be identified due to the sensitive nature of his work, he testified via video-link through a Nepali interpreter in a room adjacent to the court.
He was also made to re-enact his actions on the day. With his back to the camera, the officer showed how he had pointed his weapon at the car, moving alongside and shouting "Police, stop!" loudly and in quick succession before firing his weapon.
As the officer, dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt, did the re-enactment, Taufik's family members, including his wife, looked distraught and sobbed.
The hotel in Orange Grove Road and its vicinity had been placed under a tight security net from May 28 to 31, as it was hosting the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security summit attended by defence ministers and military chiefs from 27 countries. Of particular concern to police were vehicles carrying improvised explosive devices - a weapon commonly used in terror attacks.
When questioned by Second Solicitor-General Kwek Mean Luck and Taufik's family lawyer M Mahendran, the Gurkha officer reiterated that his duty was to stop any vehicle which breached the barriers, at all costs.
"My aim, my duty, was to stop the vehicle," said the officer, a marksman who has been with the police for eight years. "In my training, if a vehicle crashes through a barricade, we are trained to shoot the driver to stop the vehicle."
He had given multiple verbal orders for the car to stop, and had to shoot the driver to stop it, after his colleague's single shot to the front windscreen had failed to do so. Aiming for the largest part of the driver's silhouette, he opened fire when it showed no signs of stopping.
Earlier, police staff sergeant Wang Zhenxiong also testified that he and a colleague had stopped the car at a vehicle check station in front of the barrier.
Taufik's friend in the rear seat seemed agitated and had asked the policeman through the window: "Why are you checking me? Why are you checking me?"
But before the officer could reply, the passenger shouted at Taufik to drive off. Taufik complied, ignoring shouts and knocks on the car to stop.
Forensic pathologist Dr Lee Chin Thye meanwhile testified that Taufik died almost instantaneously after being hit about 4cm horizontally behind his upper right ear by a high-velocity bullet, which fragmented upon impact and caused severe brain damage.
Taufik's blood was also found to contain low quantities of the controlled drugs Erimin-5 and amphetamine. The level of methamphetamine, a stimulant drug, however, was about 30 times above prescription limits. This could have caused effects such as restlessness, euphoria, hallucinations, rapid flight of ideas or irritability.
Shangri-La shooting: Police had to act 'because of threat': State Counsel
Published Mar 17, 2016, 12:26 am SGT
Pang Xue Qiang
SINGAPORE - Instead of leaving it to chance, the police had to stop the car when it crashed through the final line of concrete security barriers outside Shangri-La Hotel last May, said State Counsel and Second Solicitor-General Kwek Mean Luck on Wednesday (March 16) as the coroner's inquiry into the death of 34-year-old driver Mohamed Taufik Zahar came to a close.
He was shot dead last May 31 by Gurkha officers at a security checkpoint set up near the hotel which was hosting the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security summit attended by defence ministers and military chiefs from 27 countries.
Summing up the State's presentation of evidence, Mr Kwek said: "When the car crashed through the concrete barrier, police did not know and did not have time or opportunity to find out why... what it carried, and where it was going. The threat of danger in those circumstances was real. The police had to act, and they did."
Wednesday's hearing also saw the car's rear passenger, Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, testify for the first time on how he and his friends came under fire.
The 27-year-old, Taufik and another friend were headed to Orchard Towers after failing to pick up prostitutes in Geylang. The trio wound up at a high-security checkpoint outside the hotel because of a wrong turn.
There were drugs inside the car. When a police officer said the car was to be searched, Syahid said he shouted: "Why are you checking me?"
Despite police shouts and knocks on the car to stop, he urged Taufik to drive off.
"I was scared of being arrested. I just wanted to get out of that place... When I shouted the words 'Jalan! Jalan!', it was in an aggressive tone and it meant to 'Go!'"
After the car crashed through the barriers, it continued to pick up speed. They were around 35m away from the hotel.
"Suddenly, I heard three loud bangs. I was scared. I saw the front windscreen crack. At the same time, I saw (Taufik's) head jerking backwards to the left side.
"I saw blood from the back of his head. It looked like someone attacked him on the back of his head with a parang," said Syahid, who was sentenced to seven years' jail and three strokes for abetment to commit a rash act and for drug offences last year.
The three-day inquiry - the first two days were on Jan 26 and 27 - had nine witnesses, including police officers and forensic scientists. A Gurkha officer, one of two who together fired five shots, said on Jan 27: "In my training, if a vehicle crashes through a barricade, we are trained to shoot the driver to stop the vehicle."
Mr Kwek said some "what if" questions were raised in the inquiry, including what if the police had waited until they had an opportunity to verify why the car crashed through, and if its occupants did indeed have the intent to carry out a terrorist attack.
However, he said "this would not have been easy or even possible" for the police based on the facts. The lesson "cannot be that the police should hesitate from stopping threats in similar situations in future".
State Coroner Marvin Bay will reveal his findings on April 22.
Driver's death in Shangri-La shooting case ruled 'a lawful killing'
Despite repeated warnings to stop his car, Mohamed Taufik Zahar accelerated the vehicle, crashing it through a concrete security barrier.PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
Published Apr 22, 2016, 4:55 pm SGT
Amir Hussain
Pang Xue Qiang
SINGAPORE - The shooting of a 34-year-old man by police outside the Shangri-La Hotel on May 31 last year was “a lawful killing”, a coroner ruled on Friday (April 22).
The officer who fired the fatal shot was simply doing his job of neutralising a perceived threat, when Mohamed Taufik Zahar drove through security barriers despite shouts to stop, and had no specific intention to kill, said State Coroner Marvin Bay.
Intoxicated on a cocktail of drugs, Taufik showed scant regard for the policemen trying to stop his car.
He was shot dead by a Gurkha officer on security detail outside the hotel, which was under tight watch as it was the venue of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security summit.
Despite repeated warnings to stop, Taufik accelerated his car past concrete barriers and towards a Vehicle Counter Assault Team of two armed Gurkha officers.
They opened fire after he breached the barriers and showed no sign of stopping. A fifth shot hit his head, killing him on the spot.
Taufik was on his way to Orchard Towers with two friends but had taken a wrong turn.
The trio were anxious to evade any roadblocks as they had all taken drugs and the two passengers had drugs on them. Taufik and one of them were also wanted by police.
In his findings, the coroner said the officers used their firearms as a last resort, having entirely reasonable grounds to assume hostile intent and that the car was carrying a vehicle-borne explosive device.
They could not have waited further, he said.
“The car would have reached the protected premises in a matter of seconds if it had not been engaged and stopped, as the distance between the final concrete barrier and Shangri-La Hotel was a mere 33m to 34m,” the coroner said.
The second and third shots were fired as the car drove past the shooter, while the final round was fired as the car was already moving away from the same officer, presenting him with a small window of opportunity to bring the vehicle to a halt.
There was no option of leaving it up to chance that the car was not carrying any explosives, said Mr Bay. “If (the officer) had not engaged the vehicle, and if the car had in fact been carrying a vehicle- borne improvised explosive device, there might well have been catastrophic consequences.”
The coroner said there was a need to take terrorism seriously, noting the use of car bombs in terrorist attacks overseas and the Jemaah Islamiah network’s plan to use truck bombs here in 2001.
Taufik’s wife, Ms Nassida Nasir, 33, who married him two months before he died, said afterwards: “Our daughter is too young to know what happened to her father. I will have to find a way to explain to her when she is old enough to understand.”
Taufik's wife, Ms Nassida, said their daughter is too young to know what happened to her father. ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
Published 4 hours ago
Officer was neutralising a perceived threat, says coroner
Amir Hussain
Pang Xue Qiang
The shooting of a 34-year-old man by police outside the Shangri-La Hotel on May 31 last year was "a lawful killing", a coroner ruled yesterday.
The officer who fired the fatal shot was simply doing his job of neutralising a perceived threat, when Mohamed Taufik Zahar drove through security barriers despite shouts to stop, and had no specific intention to kill, said State Coroner Marvin Bay.
Intoxicated on a cocktail of drugs, Taufik showed scant regard for the policemen trying to stop his car.
He was shot dead by a Gurkha officer on security detail outside the hotel, which was under tight watch as it was the venue of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major security summit.
Despite repeated warnings to stop, Taufik accelerated his car past concrete barriers and towards a Vehicle Counter Assault Team of two armed Gurkha officers.
PAST CASES
Police shootings that the coroner previously ruled as justified homicide:
• On March 6, 2008, murder suspect Lim Bock Song, 43, died of a gunshot wound to the chest after he charged at a policeman with a knife at Outram Park MRT station. Police were going after Lim, a mental patient, for the fatal stabbing of Tan Ah Chang, 52, at Jalan Kukoh hawker centre, just 30 minutes earlier.
• On May 15, 2000, psychiatric patient Ang Swee Kiat, 37, was seen bare-chested, wearing only a pair of army camouflage trousers and carrying a 62cm-long iron rod in Seletar Club Road. When the police tried to check on him, Ang charged at a policeman, and ignored warnings to drop the rod. The officer fired a total of four shots at Ang - one pierced his arm, entered his chest and killed him.
• On April 2, 1999, Low Mui Chua, 47, who was wanted for drug-related offences and assaulting a public servant, attacked a policeman with a knife at People's Park. The policeman fatally shot Low once in the stomach.
• On April 24, 1998, a tussle broke out between drug suspect Othman Juri, 32, and two policemen in Boon Lay Drive. A policeman fired a first shot at his legs, but Othman continued to charge at him with a chair. The policeman fired another two shots before Othman collapsed. He died in hospital eight hours later.
Pang Xue Qiang
They opened fire after he breached the barriers and showed no sign of stopping. A fifth shot hit his head, killing him on the spot.
Taufik was on his way to Orchard Towers with two friends but had taken a wrong turn.
The trio were anxious to evade any roadblocks as they had all taken drugs and the two passengers had drugs on them. Taufik and one of them were also wanted by police.
In his findings, the coroner said the officers used their firearms as a last resort, having entirely reasonable grounds to assume hostile intent and that the car was carrying a vehicle-borne explosive device.
They could not have waited further, he said.
"The car would have reached the protected premises in a matter of seconds if it had not been engaged and stopped, as the distance between the final concrete barrier and Shangri-La Hotel was a mere 33m to 34m," the coroner said.
The second and third shots were fired as the car drove past the shooter, while the final round was fired as the car was already moving away from the same officer, presenting him with a small window of opportunity to bring the vehicle to a halt.
There was no option of leaving it up to chance that the car was not carrying any explosives, said Mr Bay. "If (the officer) had not engaged the vehicle, and if the car had in fact been carrying a vehicle- borne improvised explosive device, there might well have been catastrophic consequences."
The coroner said there was a need to take terrorism seriously, noting the use of car bombs in terrorist attacks overseas and the Jemaah Islamiah network's plan to use truck bombs here in 2001.
Taufik's wife, Ms Nassida Nasir, 33, who married him two months before he died, said afterwards: "Our daughter is too young to know what happened to her father. I will have to find a way to explain to her when she is old enough to understand."
