A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) corporal attached to the Air Force Rugby pool was killed in a police and Special Task Force (STF) shootout at Angamuwa in Padukka.
The police identified the deceased as the main suspect in a shooting incident in Moragahahena where two persons were killed.
Police said that he ignored a checkpoint order during a Police-STF operation while riding a motorcycle this morning. Allegedly, he opened fire at the police, leading to a shootout where he sustained fatal injuries and died upon admission to Padukka Hospital.
SLAF Spokesman Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe stated that the Commander of the Air Force has initiated an inquiry into the incident. Preliminary findings suggest an exchange of fire between the off-duty SLAF corporal (volunteer) and the police at the checkpoint.
"The SLAF takes any involvement of its personnel in criminal activity seriously and will cooperate with law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly," he said.
