By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter
PHITSANULOK — Three disgraced police officers said they shot at a car full of university students before hauling them out and assaulting them two weeks ago because they suspected the students were criminals.
The officers spoke to the public for the first time Wednesday since the incident in Phitsanulok province, which prompted the regional police force to expel the three men while a criminal investigation against them was being conducted.
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With their lawyer present, Sgt. Subin Nuekkham, Cpt. Wutthipat Bua-urai and Lt. Cpt. Thanakarn Chaipipat gave their side of the story of what happened at a hotel news conference.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Subin did not dispute the accounts of what happened on the night of March 18, when he and two other officers reportedly gave chase to five university students and fired a handgun at their car, disabling one of its tires. The three officers then forced all five students out of the vehicle and assaulted them, according to the students.
After the case came to light, the police charged Subin, Wutthipat and Thanakarn with six offenses, including attempted murder, and expelled them from the service.