Taxi driver shot dead in botched police raid
Stray bullet was fired by Shenzhen police as they fled nightclub thugs in neighbouring Dongguan
He Huifeng
Jan 11, 2012        
       
A stray bullet fired by police killed a taxi driver on Monday night in Dongguan after dozens of police officers from neighbouring Shenzhen fled a nightclub chased by a gang armed with knives and sticks.

Luo Lijun, from Hunan, died after he was shot in the stomach around midnight in front of the Legend Club in Changan township, the Nanfang Daily reported.


Another driver, Yan Xiaobo, said about 40 special police, with helmets and bulletproof vests and uniforms indicating they were from Shenzhen, left a police vehicle in front of the club and raided it just before midnight.

About four minutes later, the police rushed out, chased by several men armed with knives and sticks, Yan told the newspaper. One of the police officers turned back and fired into the air in an attempt to disperse the gang before firing three more shots at the men giving chase.

Luo collapsed beside the car while trying to get back to his cab. Other taxi drivers found him with a gunshot wound to the stomach.

Yan said they called for emergency assistance, but an ambulance did not arrive for about 10 minutes. He put Luo in his cab and drove him to hospital. Luo was pronounced dead a few hours later.

In a statement last night, provincial police confirmed the Shenzhen police operation and the death of the taxi driver.

They said a team of Shenzhen police and auxiliary security personnel raided the night club in search of a prime suspect in a triad case, but were attacked by a gang hired by the night club. Six auxiliary security personnel were injured and police fired warning shots, police said.

Dongguan's police later arrested 38 suspects, including two linked to triad cases and the remainder allegedly drug addicts, the statement said. The provincial police said there were still suspects on the run. The club has been shut since Monday.

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