A woman was shot dead and five others were injured after a man snatched an AK-47 rifle from a police officer in the capital yesterday and went on a shooting spree that ended in him taking his own life.

Residents of Street 271, in Chamkarmon district’s Tumnub commune, described the horror of seeing the man fire a volley of shots as he fled from the officer who had been sitting down behind Sovanna shopping mall, near the Soviet-Khmer friendship hospital, at about 10:30am.

A woman, whose name and age were not released, was shot dead as the man ran down the street, witnesses told the Post.

About 50 metres from where the policeman was stationed, the gunman opened fired on 58-year-old woman Nhoung Heng, who had tried to confront what she thought was a robber.

Her son, Kheang Sae, 33, said his sister, 24-year-old Ngoun Pisey, was also shot after running to their mother’s aid.

“I remained silent and hid myself at home,” he said.

After hearing another explosion of gunfire, Sae said he emerged from hiding to see the man lying dead in the street.

“Now my mum and my sister are both in serious condition [in hospital], and I’m so worried about their health,” he said, adding doctors had given them a 60 per cent chance of survival.

A third woman was in serious condition in hospital last night, while a man and another woman escaped with minor injuries.

Commune police chief Mey Bunrin identified the gunman as Su Vuthy, alias Pum, 33, who worked as a prison guard at Prey Sar prison.

His motives for the shooting spree remained a mystery last night. Sun Lean, director of Prey Sar prison, said Vuthy had worked at Correctional Centre 1.

“I don’t know the reasons behind this crime, because he had taken one month off work, saying he needed the time off to solve a family problem,” he said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Khouth Sophak Chakrya at [email protected]

Kim Yuthana at [email protected]