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A suspected member of a triad was shot dead in front of his family in Sungai Petani, Kedah, on Wednesday.
According to New Straits Times, the man - identified as 36-year-old Murali Shunmugam - was shot point-blank in front of a restaurant on Jalan Kampung Baru at 12.30pm.
He was shot at least eight times in the body and head while he was with his wife, a boy and a friend.
Bernama reported that the child is believed to be his stepchild.
The trio could only scream in disbelief when Murali was shot repeatedly by four men on two motorcycles as he was about to step into his Toyota Vellfire that was parked across the restaurant.
"They went there to pack some food in his multi-purpose vehicle," said Kedah Police chief Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad.
"When the victim was about to get back into his vehicle, four suspects on two motorcycles and who wore full-face helmets and jackets fired several shots at the victim."
The gunmen were reportedly wearing gloves and had their faces covered.
A forensic team found eight bullet casings at the site.
Police chief Hassan said the victim died on the spot due to severe injuries to the face and body.
A witness told China Press that the victim was a regular customer at the restaurant and went there with his family almost every week.
Free Malaysia Today quoted witnesses who said that they saw the motorcycles arrive from a back alley before the man was ambushed.
The Kedah police chief said Murali was a wanted man over suspected organised crime and drug-related activities, with a pending case under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Police chief Hassan said the police will study the closed-circuit television cameras in the surrounding areas as well as look for witnesses to assist in the investigation.
"So far, the motive for the shooting has yet to be ascertained and a detailed investigation will be carried out," he said.
