BANGKOK (AP) — The head of Thailand’s state zoological agency was shot dead Saturday as he was pursuing an investigation into the suspicious disappearance of rare animals from a zoo in a southern province. Police Capt. Komalpan Srithep said that Suriya Saengpong, the director-general of the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, was shot several times in the offices of the Songkhla Zoo. Srithep said the suspected gunman, a senior official at the zoo, fled the scene of the shooting and killed himself in his living quarters. The motive for the killings was not immediately clear, though Srithep said the suspected gunman was one of four senior zoo officials being investigated. Read more here: Head of Thai zoos shot dead amid missing wildlife scandal
Here's some more info: He was shot by a senior veterinarian, who later shot himself, as well. It was likely over him suddenly being transferred. The transfer is believed to have been part of an attempt to get rid of people who could cause problems in the investigation of the missing albino barking deer. The zoo had previously claimed a snake ate the deer, but it's believed that the animal was sold/trafficked. Top zoo official slain in missing-deer case
The Prime Minister has ordered an investigation into the missing deer: PM orders probe into zoo scandal
