Navy member kills civilian before committing suicide in Jayapura

On 19 October 2022, a member of the Indonesian Navy (Angkatan Laut) with the initials HS shot dead a civilian at the Permata Indah Residential Area in Abepura, Jayapura City. The victim, a man with the initials TM, died on the spot as a result of a headshot. HS committed suicide at the site of the crime. He succumbed to his injuries at the Bhayangkara Police Hospital on the following day.

According to local media outlets, HS stopped the car of the victim’s wife and forced her to open a side window. The motive and background of the crime remain unclear. Feeling intimidated, the wife called TM and urged him to come to the Permata Indah Residence to help her. As TM arrived there, he tried to pull HS away from the car. The situation escalated into a brawl between HS and TM. Thereupon, HS reportedly pulled his gun and released a lethal shot at TM, before killing himself with a headshot.

According to the navy commander, Brigadier General Feryanto P Marpaung, the murder weapon was not officially registered at the navy command. He declared that the military police will launch an investigation into the origin of the weapon.