Police shoot at fleeing hijacked car in Kotahena – suspect escapes

Police opened fire at a hijacked car in the Kotahena area last night (April 12) after the suspect ignored police orders to stop and attempted to flee.

The incident occurred near Wasala Road and Kotahena Street.

According to the Police Media Division, a man had parked his car with the engine running and briefly stepped into a restaurant on Kotahena Street to buy food, leaving his pregnant wife and mother inside the vehicle.

At that moment, a suspect got into the car and drove off with the two women still inside.

Officers from the Mattakkuliya Police Station, who were in Kotahena on an unrelated investigation and had arrived in a cab, were informed about the hijacking and gave chase.

They signaled the driver to stop, but the suspect continued to flee. In response, police officers fired two shots from a service pistol.

The vehicle was finally stopped near the Bloemendhal railway track in the Kotahena Police Division. As the police approached the car, the suspect escaped on foot.

The two women were found safe and unharmed.

Kotahena Police are continuing investigations to locate and arrest the suspect.