Also known as Shangri-La Shooting Date 31 May 2015 | Non-fatal injuries Mohamed bin Ismail Location Singapore | |
Time 04:36 SST (30 May, 20:36 UTC) Deaths Mohamed Taufik bin Zahar | ||
The shooting of Taufik Zahar took place around 4.36 am on 31 May 2015, near the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore where the Shangri-La Dialogue was being held; police officers fatally shot Mohamed Taufik bin Zahar, a 34-year-old logistics mover. Taufik, who was driving a red Subaru Impreza and was carrying two passengers, had encountered a roadblock set up in relation to the dialogue. When instructed to open the Subaru's boot for checks, Taufik accelerated the vehicle towards police officers, crashing through concrete barriers erected by the police, and continued driving the vehicle despite repeated warnings to stop. Anticipating threats to their safety, police officers opened fire at the vehicle and shot Taufik dead through the windscreen.
After the incident, the two passengers, Mohamed bin Ismail and Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, were convicted of drug offences and sentenced to 8 and 7 years' jail respectively, and 3 strokes of the cane each.
This is the fourth police shooting in Singapore in 15 years. Taufik's wife, Nassida Nasir, opined that death was disproportionate punishment for Taufik, but the public was generally supportive of the actions of the police. The Singapore government has also defended and commended the actions of the police officers. A coroner's inquiry into the death of Taufik is scheduled.