Thai soldier is shot to death at mall after killing at least 26

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand — Thailand’s prime minister says 27 people are dead, including the gunman, after the deadliest shooting rampage in the country’s history.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters that an additional 57 people were wounded in the 16-hour rampage.

Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Kongcheep Tantrawanich said Sgt. Maj. Jakrapanth Thomma was behind the attack in Nakhon Ratchasima, a hub for Thailand’s relatively poor and rural northeastern region. Much of the shooting took place at Terminal 21 Korat, an airport-themed mall filled with colorful Lego sculptures, a merry-goround and huge replicas of landmarks from around the world.

Officials said the soldier, angry over a financial dispute, first killed two people and then went on a far bloodier rampage Saturday, shooting as he drove to a busy mall where shoppers fled in terror.

Thomma was fatally shot Sunday morning in the busy shopping mall where he was holed up overnight.

Video taken outside the mall showed people diving for cover as shots rang out Saturday afternoon. Many were killed outside the mall, some in cars, others while walking.

Nattaya Nganiem and her family had just finished eating and were driving away when she heard gunfire. “First I saw a woman run out from the mall hysterically,” said Nattaya, who shot video of the scene on her phone. “Then a motorcycle rider in front of her just ran and left his motorcycle there.”

Hundreds of people were evacuated from the mall in small batches by police while they searched for the gunman.

“We were scared and ran to hide in toilets,” said Sumana Jeerawattanasuk, one of those rescued by police. She said seven or eight people hid in the same room as her.

“I am so glad. I was so scared of getting hurt,” she said.

Shortly before midnight, police announced that they had secured the aboveground portion of the mall, but were still searching for the shooter. About 16 hours later, officials held a news conference outside the mall to announce that the gunman had been fatally shot.

The officials did not release any details.

Defense Ministry spokesman Kongcheep told Thai media that the first person killed was the commanding officer of Thailand’s 22nd Ammunition Battalion, in which the suspect also served. He said the gunman had fired at others on his base and took guns and ammunition before f leeing in an army Humvee.

City and neighborhood police officers, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to release information, said the man fired shots as he drove to the mall.