(CNN) — A manhunt is underway for a Thai soldier accused of killing at least 20 people in a shooting spree that began Saturday at a military site and then sent shoppers hunting for cover after the suspect entered a mall, authorities told CNN.
“We can’t confirm if there are any hostages taken. But we believe he (the shooter) is still holding inside Terminal 21 shopping mall. We are working on this,” Lt. Gen. Thanya Kiatsarn told CNN from the scene.
“At the moment we are trying to capture the guy,” police spokesman Col. Krissana Pattanacharoen added. “Both police and military forces have been deployed to the area.”
Hours after the rampage began, heavily-armed officers led some people out of the mall, images posted to social media showed.
“Please be calm, find a safe place to hide and mute your mobile phones,” the nation’s Crime Suppression Division, part of the Thai police, tweeted to those stuck inside the mall, advising them to send their locations, the number of people with them and contact numbers to the police.
“A combined force of police and military has started their operation to evacuate people who have been stuck inside the building,” defense ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Kongcheep Tantravanich said in a statement, adding that officers were doing their best to control the situation.
Thailand’s main telecommunications body reportedly has urged Thai broadcasters not to broadcast live footage from near the mall to avoid hindering security efforts.
The gunman’s motive wasn’t immediately known, Pattanacharoen said.
The suspect, Thai Army Sub. Lt. Jakrapanth Thomma, is an ammunition battalion officer working for the 22nd Ammunition Battalion, defense ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Kongcheep Tantravanich said.
“In general, any military (officer) would be good at guns, but this man certainly has more skills,” he said.
Shooter stole guns and a Humvee, official said
The gunman quarreled with his superior and ended up shooting and killing him, Kongcheep said. He then took the superior’s gun and went around shooting his colleagues. Aside from the superior, it wasn’t immediately known whether any military personnel were killed.
The soldier also stole guns, including at least one machine gun, and a military Humvee from his quarter. Tantravanich could not confirm the number of guns and ammunition taken.
After the shooter escaped from his quarter, he drove to the shopping mall and shot civilians along the way, Tantravanich said.
The shooting happened in Thailand‘s Nakhon Ratchasima Province, known as Korat.
The bodies of the 20 people killed were at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thai Public Broadcasting Service.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha earlier sent his condolences to the families of those killed or injured in the attack via a post on his official Twitter page.
