The projectile hit 28-year-old Sri Melidiawati who was standing in a dispensary in the chin. The impact of the bullet caused her to fall to the floor with blood streaming from her injured chin but at the hospital it proved to be only a flesh wound.
Doctors at Dirgahayu Hospital performed surgery to remove the bullet from Sri`s chin and at 1.30 pm she was allowed to go home.
The incident occurred at 8.15 pm when Sri was in a queue when a plainclothes policeman was pursuing an alleged drug dealer who ran past the Obat Sehat Baru drug store.
The police officer fired warning shots to stop the suspect but when the latter continued to run , the former shot him in the leg.
Samarinda Ilir Police chief Commissioner Feby DP Hutagalung confirmed the chase was done by one of his men and asserted the officer had acted in accordance with the police`s standard operating procedure.
"One of my officers pursued a suspected drug dealer after we raided his house. The suspect ignored the warning shots and kept running," Feby said.
"To immobilize the suspect, my man shot him in his leg, but it is possible a bullet went through the suspect`s leg and eventually hit a pregnant woman in a drugstore," he said.
According to Commissioner Feby, all of Sri`s medical expenses would be borne by the police.
An eyewitness, Hanafi, one of the drug store employees said that Sri was standing right next to him, and heard somebody shout "Thief!" at a distance. The next moment, Sri was already lying on the floor with blood coming out of her chin.
Sri`s husband who was accompanying her during and post bullet removal surgery refused to say anything about the incident that nearly took his wife and baby`s life when questioned by the press.(*)
A050/HAJM/H-YH
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
