Two including gunman in Meegoda economic centre shooting arrested

Police have arrested the gunman and the motorcycle rider involved in the recent shooting incident at the Meegoda Economic Centre.

According to police, the motorcycle and weapon used for the shooting have also been recovered by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

Earlier today (18 Feb.), police reported that two suspects had been arrested in the Kirillalawala area in Kadawatha, in connection with the shooting, while the motorcycle used by the assailants along with a helmet, a knife and a shirt were also recovered from the room of a restaurant.

The owner of the said restaurant who had kept the motorcycle hidden and another individual who had provided the suspects with accommodation have been arrested by police for allegedly aiding and abetting the shooting incident. 

The arrested suspects are aged 39 and 44 years while they are residents of Imbulgama and Kadawatha respectively.

On 12 February, a 23-year-old female cashier was left critically injured after she was shot thrice in her abdomen by two persons attempting to burgle the shop.

It was later revealed that the gunmen had opened fire in an attempt to obtain the keys to one of the two cash lockers in the shop, of which the other they had already looted.