HK Inquest: Ballistics expert says 17 shots ‘may have’ hit bus hostages 03/03/2011

HK Inquest: Ballistics expert says 17 shots ‘may have’ hit bus hostages

03/03/2011
A Hong Kong inquest into the Manila hijacking and botched rescue operations that killed eight Hong Kong tourists and injured many more yesterday heard that at least 17 gunshots fired into the Hong Thai tour bus during a botched rescue attempt could have hit the hostages inside, according to a ballistic expert in Hong Kong, a live stream from Radio TV Hong Kong (RTHK) said.

The ballistics expert, Raymond Chan, testified before the Hong Kong Coroner’s inquest yesterday. It was he who had inspected the vehicle in Manila following last year’s hostage tragedy.

Chan told the coroner’s court he had found marks from 62 bullets on the vehicle, stressing that 35 were made by shots fired from outside, 10 inside and the remainder were caused by bullet fragments or unknown sources. Most of the marks were found on the windscreen and near the front door of the bus.

The IIRC report headed by the Justice chief, Leila de Lima, claimed in her panel’s findings that all the bullets that killed the hostages and wounded some of the hostages came from the gunman which contradicts the testimony of the Hong Kong ballistics expert..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110303hed5.html