Malaysian police are on high alert after a shooting incident at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 (KLIA 1) on April 14. The attack, which occurred around 1.30am, left a bodyguard severely injured and the suspect, armed and dangerous, is currently on the run.
Selangor police chief Commissioner Hussein Omar Khan confirmed that during the incident, a man fired two shots, one of which hit the victim, a personal bodyguard. The suspect, identified as Hafizul Harawi, intended to shoot his wife, who runs a travel agency and was at the airport to receive Muslim pilgrims returning from Mecca. The bodyguard was shot in the stomach and is in critical condition.
“This incident is unrelated to terrorist activities or groups and originated from a personal issue. The situation at KLIA is secure and under control,” Hussein said.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Commissioner Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain stated that Hafizul Harawi, 38, is also the husband and business partner of the intended victim. The suspect and his wife were in the midst of a divorce, adding a personal dimension to the crime.
“The police have classified the suspect as armed and dangerous. Anyone who spots him is urged to share the information with the police but not to act alone,” Shuhaily advised.
Records show that the suspect has had reports lodged against him since 2016, including two reports for criminal intimidation by his wife, the latest in December 2023. The police had previously investigated the suspect for theft and impersonating a public officer.
The victim’s wife, who goes by the username Farah Cie, confirmed in a Facebook post that her bodyguard had been shot and expressed shock at the incident.
“I am shocked and didn’t expect something like this to happen in the month of Syawal,” said Siti Noraida, 28, the victim’s wife, referring to the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, a symbolic time of renewal for Muslims.
The suspect’s wife hopes the authorities will succeed in locating him so he can be brought to justice. The case is being investigated as an attempted murder, and the police believe the suspect has fled north.
