Bullet-in-throat: Police record boy's statement before surgery

The police have recorded the statement by Mohd Amar Mohd Azizi, the 10-year-old boy who was injured when hit by a stray bullet from a policeman's Walther P99 automatic pistol while the latter was cleaning it in an incident last Oct 14.

Perak deputy police chief Datuk A Paramasivam said police recorded Mohd Amar's statement before the Year Four student went for surgery last Sunday.

"So far, police have recorded 15 statements from witnesses to facilitate investigation," he told reporters after the Perak police monthly assembly here Tuesday.

He said police would see the boy again to record his statement after he had recovered from the surgery.

Asked about the policeman involved, Paramasivam said investigation was still in progress.

Mohd Amar was injured in the incident which happened in front of a house in Kampung Belanja Kiri, Parit, with the bullet lodged behind the boy's throat.

Doctors at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRBP) have successfully removed the bullet last Sunday. HRPB consultant neurosurgeon Dr Cheang Chee Keong said Mohd Amar was fortunate the bullet did not hit the spinal cord or voice box as it could cause paralysis and dumbness.

Scanning via X-ray showed that the bullet had penetrated the nose and was lodged in the throat less than one centimetre from the spinal cord.