Fuming after a quarrel over money, a 32-year-old man shot his mother, Tan Saw Sim, 55, and her boyfriend, Toh Hock Choon, 50, at a factory near the airport.
In the 2.30am incident, the deranged man also shot his brother, Chung Wah Tong, 28, and his son, Chung Ay Dey, two, who had come down to check after hearing the shots.
Investigators close to the case say the suspect, who is currently on the run, had fired his semi-automatic weapon at least 15 times.
The poultry workers, who were in the midst of preparing for slaughtering work at 2am, told policemen that they heard shots and saw the suspect leaving in a Toyota Hilux at 2.45am.
A worker alerted the police after seeing them slumped with head shots at a office-cum-bedroom container box inside the factory.
Toh, who has been Tan’s live-in partner for some 20 years, ran the factory. Tan has been divorced from her husband, who is currently in Johor.
The two containers are stacked upwards, with Wah Tong and his son Ay Dey sleeping in a bedroom at the top container.
Autopsies on the bodies revealed the victims were shot at close range.
Investigators said the fugitive at large had claimed trial to raping and hurting a 20-year-old Indonesian woman in 2011.
He also had a string of other crimes committed — arson, possession of sharp weapons and illegal drug use.
It was learnt that his mother, Tan, and brother Wah Tong posted bail for him whenever he got into trouble.
Tan had also funded “tens of thousands of ringgit” to help in his poultry business at the Air Itam Market.
However, it hit a roadblock after the city council carted away his items for flouting licensing regulations.
According to factory workers, the suspect was a pleasant character to all except his family members. He would often shout at family members.
Meanwhile, Penang Criminal Investigation Department chief SAC Razaruddin Hussain told reporters police found 11 spent bullet shells.
“He was seen on surveillance camera footage rummaging through drawers in the office, plausibly looking for money before firing shots at the victims.
“We believe the suspect could be a drug addict, based on previous records,
“We also believe that the man is still in possession of his 9mm semi-automatic handgun,” Razaruddin said.
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