On Sunday, April 19, a tragic shooting incident occurred at a food court in Kota Tinggi, Malaysia, where a 71-year-old man fatally shot two men and one woman, according to multiple Malaysian media reports.

The victims, aged between 37 and 63, were believed to have been shot with a shotgun and were pronounced dead at the scene, as confirmed by Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad.

Malaysian police received reports of the shooting around 1:30 PM and apprehended the 71-year-old suspect approximately 200 meters from the scene around 2 PM, as reported by Bernama.

The police seized a Benelli M/Super shotgun, which is believed to have been the weapon used in the crime.

The suspect, who owns agricultural land and is legally permitted to possess a firearm, reportedly had no prior criminal record, according to The Star.

Authorities have confirmed that the suspect will be investigated for murder and could face the death penalty or a minimum of 30 years in prison along with at least 12 strokes of the cane if convicted, as reported by The Rakyat Post.

Investigations by the police are ongoing.

Debt and Death

The shooting is believed to have stemmed from an alleged loan dispute. The suspect reportedly confronted the food court owner—one of the victims—about a week prior, demanding repayment, according to The New Straits Times (NST).

Instead of repaying the loan, the food court owner allegedly attacked the suspect.

On Sunday, the suspect returned and reportedly opened fire on the three victims—two men and a Vietnamese woman, as per NST's report.

A fourth woman who pleaded for her life was spared, and the gunman subsequently drove to a separate restaurant 200 meters away, where he awaited the police.