In the 1.30am incident, five policemen in an unmarked car flagged down a car driven by Khor Hock Yong, 44, in Bayan Lepas after noticing him driving with a balaclava on.

Penang police chief Commissioner Abdul Ghafar Rajab said Khor, however, sped off in his silver Proton Perdana.

Ghafar said after a 10km chase, Khor pulled over to the roadside at the Jalan Genting Balik Pulau-Teluk Kumbar intersection.

He said at this point, Khor, while seated in his car, fired eight shots at the policemen who were in a Proton Waja.

“In defence, the policemen fired back at him. Later, when they approached the car, the suspect, who was still wearing a balaclava, was found unconscious,” he said at a press conference at the Penang police headquarters here today.

Ghafar said police from the Southwest district found a Glock automatic pistol and a magazine filled with 29 .38 SPL bullets, and a .45 bullet in Khor’s car.

Ghafar said Khor, who is from Cross Street in Bukit Mertajam, had five prior criminal records — two counts of possession of dangerous weapons (knives); two counts of criminal intimidation and committing mischief; and one count of illegal gambling in public.

“Khor also tested positive for drug use and also had HIV.” Ghafar said.

The case is being investigated as attempted murder.