• THERESA MAE DULMAN
A late-night shooting incident involving two armed men occurred in front of a mall along Gatuslao Street in Barangay 9, Bacolod City, leaving one dead and another wounded at approximately 10:15 p.m. on February 12.
The victims, identified as 18-year-old alias ‘Christian’ from Barangay 6 and an individual known as ‘Noknok’, were riding a motorcycle in front of the Ayala Malls Capitol Central when they were targeted by unidentified assailants on another motorcycle.
According to Police Station 2 initial reports, two .38 caliber revolvers were recovered from the possession of the victims at the scene.
Evidence recovered from the crime scene included four empty shells from a .45 caliber pistol used by the suspects.
Christian was later pronounced dead, while Noknok was rushed to a nearby hospital for immediate medical treatment for the gunshot wounds sustained in the ambush.
The suspects fled the scene in an unknown direction immediately after the gunfire ceased.
The Bacolod City Police Office has launched a hot pursuit operation to identify and apprehend the shooters.
Authorities are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the mall and surrounding areas to determine the motive behind the shooting and to establish why the two armed men were targeted in such a high-traffic area of the city.*
