Bangkok Explosion Update: Video Footage Shows Man With Backpack Leaving Bombing Scene [Watch]
A man in a yellow shirt and a black backpack was shown on video and officials want to interview him. Thai officials believe he is linked to the bombing and believe him a potential suspect.
According to BBC, video footage via a CCTV camera shows the man leaving the backpack at a bench near the Erawan Hindu shrine. A few minutes later, the explosion occurred. The Thai government confirmed that, as of now, casualties stand at 20 dead and 123 injured.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha commented on the potential suspect on camera, saying, "There is a suspect... we are looking for this guy."
The prime minister later released a statement expressing his condolences for the victims of the bombing and asked Thai citizens to remain vigilant.
"It is apparent that there are active individuals or groups that harbor the intention to damage Thailand, who may be pursuing political gain or other intentions by damaging the economy and tourism," he said. "The Royal Thai Government shall expedite all investigative efforts to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice."
Yesterday, a bombing at the Erawan Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand injured many and disrupted life in one of the Thai capital's popular tourist and affluent neighborhoods. Half of the victims were foreigners. Nationals from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia were among the foreigners killed in the attack.
Officials say that the explosion was caused by a "motorcycle bomb" and found "charred pieces of motorcycles parts and bloodied bodies on the floor near the site." They also reported that the bomb was on a utility pole where it exploded just after 7 p.m. They also said that the person in the video is close to being identified.
According to Al Jazeera, journalist Maher Sattar was at the site of the explosion where he described the scene as "quiet."
"I was inside the Hyatt hotel having dinner when we heard an extremely loud explosion near the Ratchaprasong intersection," he said. "The windows were shattered and everyone at the hotel was startled. Security tried to shut down the hotel and attempted to keep everyone inside but I was able to go out and walk just about 50 metres close to the intersection. I noticed seven to eight covered bodies. There was damage to the ground of the shrine."
You can check out the video of the suspect below. So far, he is the only person of interest linked to this bombing.
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