Malaysian Boy, 14, Accidentally Shot Dead with Homemade Gun During Hide-and-Seek
A game of hide-and-seek between two 14-year-old friends in Sabah took a tragic turn on Sunday, December 7, when one boy was accidentally shot dead with a homemade shotgun locally known as a bakakuk. The fatal incident occurred around 8am in Keningau, according to reports from Bernama.
Keningau district police chief Yampil Anak Garai said the victim had been hiding beneath his friend’s house when the shooting happened. The bakakuk, a crude firearm commonly used in rural Sabah for hunting and self-protection, discharged while pointed at the teenager. He was rushed to Keningau Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Citing preliminary findings, Yampil said the suspect had seen the victim holding the firearm earlier. Curious about the weapon, the boy asked to handle it. Unaware that the gun was loaded, he allegedly pulled the trigger during their game, causing the fatal discharge.
Police said the victim sustained 14 pellet wounds on various parts of his body, including the right side of his chest, right arm, knee and left torso. The extent and spread of the injuries suggested a close-range shotgun blast.
Investigators later discovered that the bakakuk belonged to the suspect’s 70-year-old father. After the incident, the suspect’s 13-year-old brother reportedly hid the weapon. Both the father and the two minors have been detained to assist police with the investigation, though authorities have not released their identities due to their age.
The case is being investigated as murder, which police say is procedure in incidents involving deaths caused by firearms while circumstances are being fully established. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of reclassifying the case once the investigation clarifies intent, negligence and handling of the weapon.
Homemade guns such as bakakuk devices are relatively common in parts of Sabah and are sometimes passed down within families for hunting. However, the weapons are often unlicensed and lack standard safety mechanisms, posing significant risk—especially when children or untrained individuals encounter them.
The tragedy has fuelled renewed calls in local communities for stricter enforcement against unlicensed firearms and for greater awareness among rural households about the dangers of homemade weapons. Police have urged families to secure firearms and ensure that minors cannot access them under any circumstances.
As the investigation continues, forensic teams are examining the firearm while officers interview witnesses and family members to piece together the sequence of events. The case underscores the lethal risk posed by improvised weapons and the importance of firearms safety, even in areas where such guns are commonly used for subsistence activities.
