KUALA LUMPUR: Police were forced to fire nine shots at a Proton Wira to thwart two suspects from escaping when they were ordered to stop in Kepong here this morning.
A video of the incident went viral on social media.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the 7.45am incident near the Segambut bypass in Taman Pusat Kepong happened when two local men sped off after being told to stop by members of the police's motorcycle patrol unit from the Sentul district police headquarters.
"The duo did not stop the vehicle until Laman Rimbunan, Jalan Kepong when the car knocked into one of the policemen as the car was reversing in a bid to escape.
"The car driven by the suspects endangered public safety and those nearby," he said in a press conference.
Shuhaily said shots were fired to protect the people's safety.
"Investigations revealed that all nine shots were aimed at the suspect's car tyres.
"As a result of the shooting, the suspects car crashed to the roadside before they fled," he said, adding a policemen sustained injury to his leg.
Police were tracking a local man, O. Ganesan, 40, to assist investigations.
Shuhaily said Ganesan has three criminal records and eight records of drug-related offences.
The investigation is under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and Section 353 of the same code for using criminal force on a public servant.
Police urge witnesses to the incident to contact the Sentul police at 03-40482222 or to go to any nearby police station.