ALOR GAJAH: The police have detained a security guard at Alor Gajah Hospital after allegedly discharging a firearm at the hospital's revenue unit office.
Alor Gajah District police chief Superintendent Ashari Abu Samah said his department received a report regarding the incident at 6.20pm yesterday from the operations officer of the security company involved.
He said the hospital's head of security told the officer that a firearm, handled by one of the security guards, had fallen and accidentally discharged a single shot that hit the counter desk.
"Initial investigations revealed that the incident happened at 5.30pm the day before yesterday when the suspect was on duty during a shift from 12pm to 12am.
"He was alone in the office, and no other employees were present at the time.
"The suspect was sitting in the security guard's chair inside the office, with the firearm, a Winchester shotgun supplied by his company, placed on the desk in front of him," he said.
Ashari said the suspect had placed the firearm with the barrel pointing towards the office counter, and the safety lock was not engaged. No casualties or injuries were reported.
"When the suspect stood up, his right thigh accidentally hit the butt of the shotgun, causing it to fall and discharge a shot towards the lower part of the office counter. The type of ammunition used was 12 Bore," he added.
Ashari added the operations officer filed a police report at the Alor Gajah district police headquarters yesterday after determining that the suspect had been negligent in handling the firearm.
He said the police would seek a remand order against the suspect at the Alor Gajah Magistrate's Court today.