KOTA TINGGI: While holding a female bank customer hostage, a 19-year-old bank robber ended up dead after he was shot by a security guard in Air Tawar 5, here, today.
District police chief Superintendent Ashmon Bajah said the hostage-robbery happened at 2.04pm which saw the robber holding a sickle walking into the bank.
He then held the weapon to the woman's neck.
"Acting to protect customers and the bank staff, the on-duty security guard fired his pump-gun at the robber and hit him at his right rib. The robber was declared dead at the scene.
"His body was taken to the Sultan Ismail Hospital for post-mortem. No one was injured in the incident including the hostage and the bank staff," he said in a statement.
Ashmon added the dead robber had no criminal record and the case was being investigated under Section 307 and Section 393 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and attempt to commit robbery.
Meanwhile, trader Nurul Izzati Kamali said it was the first time she had witnessed a robbery.
The 23-year-old said things were quite quiet at the surrounding area before the robbery went down and there were several people queueing, waiting for their turn to enter the bank.
"Suddenly, a robber armed with what looked like a sickle grabbed a woman who was in front of the queue and the bank shutters were pulled down and there was a shout coming from inside (the bank) asking for money."
Nurul Izzati said residents at the scene had called the police and several of them guarded the bank's front and back doors, making sure the robber would not escape.
"Several minutes later, there were knocking sounds coming from the door and the police were ready to intercept if it was the robber who came out from the bank.
"Instead, several customers came out and some of them were crying and in a state of shock,' she said.
Since afternoon, several video clips had gone viral on Facebook and Whatsapp regarding the attempted armed robbery.