readers' submissions

In the Line of Fire

This happened sometime last June, I was walking along Sihanouk Blvd towards the Built Bright University at about 10pm. Checking out the working girls along the way, I crossed Sothearos at 10.15pm, still walking along the road now heading towards the river. About 25 meters from the intersection I heard a loud noise, then another.

I realized that it was gun shots, probably from a 9mm pistol. So I looked back and I saw the 3rd shot being fired by the gunman on the back of a motorbike, I could see smoke and a bit of the hot gasses coming out of the barrel. After a moment’s hesitation due to the ganja, my military training came back to me. The gunmen were now heading in my direction and were going to pass me in like maybe three seconds. I was about to take cover by lying prone on the ground but I made my way to the trees on my right instead. But by the time I got to the trees the guys were already far away and loads of Khmers were running to the entrance of the University. I was thinking yeah, maybe let’s take a look, there was this moto lying on the ground with the motordop lying beside it.

After a quick look at the guy who was not hurt but slightly shaken, I walked to the entrance. It was actually a cop who had been shot. Not much blood on the ground, the bullet must be inside the cop somewhere. Now other cops arrived, one guy dressed in green fatigues with an AK 47, and some MPs I think, with M16s. I tried looking for the bullet casings but unfortunately someone else found it and he tried to sell it to me for a dollar. The cop with the AK was pissed off with the crowd, so he pointed his rifle at us and we politely took a few steps back. The ambulance finally arrived and then this black Mercedes S class with tinted windows pulled up. Someone important probably. I was getting bored by now and the girls were not interested in working, so I then took a motor to my favourite bar for a much needed drink.

Luckily the other cops had showed up later, if they had fired at the gunmen I’ll be right in the middle of their line of fire.

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