Tonga police still hunting for Tofoa gunman [1]
Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 20:06. Updated on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 15:54.
Fourteen days after the shooting of Tofoa shopkeeper Ying Jin (54) on October 26, the gunman is still at large.
The Assistant Commander of the Tongan Police, 'Unga Fa'aoa said yesterday that they had identified a few suspects, "but we do not have enough evidence to arrest any one."
'Unga said that the difficult thing was because there was just no one around at the time to assist in identifying the attacker. The police have confirmed that the weapon used was a .22 calibre gun, and not a pistol.
The small bullet that was removed from Ying's body was a .22, and the victim said that she saw the attacker holding a long gun.
'Unga said that the police are still investigating, and still hopeful to gather enough evidence to make an arrest soon.
In pain
Meanwhile, Ying's son James Bo Xie said this afternoon, that his mother is doing much better now compared to the night when they rushed her to Vaiola Hospital.
He said that the stitches to the surgery to remove the bullet had been removed and she is beginning to become mobile, "by taking a few small steps from her bed to the bathroom, which is about six metres.
"But she is still suffering great pains and the doctors who are not planning to do anymore surgery, are just figuring out how to control the pain through medication," said James.
James said that his mother could speak but in a weak tone and she has also started eating. She suffered severe internal injuries in the shooting.
Decorator
With regards to their small retail shop, James said it was still closed, "and it stands a great chance of not being opened again.
"I don...t know if we would ever open it again because my mother is just so scared, so with the shop closed my father's job in building and decoration is the only income earning for my family because I stay with my mother at the hospital", he said.