According to Cambodian media, on the night of September 2, 2024, after 10 PM, a shooting occurred in front of the Blue Bay Hotel in Sihanoukville, injuring three people, including two Chinese citizens and one Cambodian. The suspect fled the scene after the incident.
After investigation, the police arrested a Chinese suspect at around 2 PM on September 3, in a hotel in Village 3, District 4, Sihanoukville, Sihanouk Province, and seized a handgun.
The suspect has been taken to the Sihanouk Province police station for questioning.
The victims include:
Yean Vandy, male, Cambodian nationality, injured in the left abdomen, a security guard at the Blue Bay Hotel, residing in Sihanouk Province;
Jiang, male, Chinese citizen, injured in the chest, residing in Phnom Penh;
Qin, male, Chinese citizen, injured in the left leg, residing in Phnom Penh.
The three injured are currently receiving treatment in the hospital. The arrested suspect is a 43-year-old Chinese man named Zhang Tao, who works in electrical appliance sales, residing in the Posen Chey district of Phnom Penh.
When arresting him, the police also seized a ZORAKI MOD 914-TD handgun, 8 bullets, and a LAND CRUISER car with the license plate Sihanouk Province 2C-9898.
According to the investigation, Jiang confessed during questioning that the shooting occurred after a dispute that escalated following drinking.
The chief of Sihanoukville police, Col Tey Visal, stated that at the time of the incident, five Chinese men were leaving the hotel, and another ten Chinese men were waiting for them. The dispute originated from a joint business venture and escalated into multiple shots being fired during the argument.
It is noteworthy that Cambodian media previously reported that after the incident, the police had arrested seven suspects, and it is not yet known whether they are related to the nearby park. These suspects have not yet been released and remain unconfirmed.
