KUCHING: A suspected thief was shot once in the shoulder following a failed escape attempt, which saw him bolting out of a police patrol vehicle yesterday.

The 33-year-old man from Kampung Kudei was handed over to a Mobile Patrol Vehicle (MPV) unit by members of the public around 10am, for allegedly shoplifting at a supermarket in MJC Batu Kawah.

FAILED ESCAPE: The suspect at the hospital for treatment.

While on its way to deliver the suspect to the Simpang Tiga police station, the patrol vehicle was believed to have been caught in a traffic jam along Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce.

Seeing his window of opportunity, the handcuffed suspect somehow managed to open the rear door and bolted from the patrol car before jumping into a small river in an attempt to escape.

Reacting immediately to the situation, one of the patrol officers went after him on foot for some distance and managed to confront the suspect just as he climbed out onto the river bank.

Despite repeated warnings for him to surrender, the suspect picked up a stick on the ground and charged at the patrol officer, who then fired a single shot, which struck the suspect in his right shoulder.

He was immediately taken into custody and sent to Sarawak General Hospital, where he is currently being held while undergoing treatment.

He is also believed to have suffered slight injuries to his pelvis as a result of jumping into the river.

State CID chief SAC II Huzir Mohamed confirmed the incident when contacted yesterday.