Sri Lanka has recorded 22 shooting incidents so far this year, leaving 15 people dead and 12 injured, with nearly half of them concentrated in a single fortnight, the Daily Mirror reported.
Ten of the shootings occurred between July 11 and July 25, claiming three lives and injuring five. The incidents ranged from targeted killings to attacks linked to organised criminal groups, while several others caused property damage or targeted individuals without casualties. Police have made a number of arrests, with investigations continuing into the remaining cases.
Police Spokesman Assistant Superintendent of Police F.U. Wootler said every incident investigated so far has shown links to organised crime and the illegal drug trade. The attacks are largely the result of rival criminal groups attempting to eliminate competitors, settle financial disputes and prevent opposing gangs from expanding their influence, he said.
Many of those believed to be orchestrating the attacks are operating from overseas, according to Wootler, while the intended victims are often relatives or associates of rival gang members — targeted to intimidate opponents and send a message to competing networks.
Investigators are also finding that drugs, rather than cash, are increasingly being used as payment for contract killings, with some suspects allegedly willing to carry out murders in exchange for small quantities of narcotics.
Wootler said police, under the direct guidance of the Inspector General of Police, have intensified intelligence operations including telephone and communications analysis. Explaining why shootings cluster after quiet periods, he said criminal groups wait until they have located targets and identified moments when police presence is limited. He acknowledged officers cannot be deployed everywhere, but said police would continue to rely on intelligence-led operations.
Referring to the fatal shooting of a restaurant owner in Bellanwila on July 25, Wootler said two suspects were arrested within an hour — one believed to be the gunman, the other the motorcycle rider. Police said evidence indicated both were heavily addicted to narcotics.
Other incidents in the fortnight included a drug suspect seizing a traffic officer’s firearm during a Katunayake raid on July 15, the killing of a 26-year-old man in Navagamuwa on July 16, and the fatal shooting of a 39-year-old at a child’s birthday party in Wattala on July 23.
