Suspected gunman in Mount Lavinia shooting arrested
May 19, 2025 01:06 pm
The Mount Lavinia Division Criminal Investigation Unit has arrested the suspected shooter involved in the murder of a youth in a shooting incident that occurred earlier this month at a junction near Sylvester Road in Mount Lavinia.
Furthermore, the rider of the motorcycle and two individuals who had aided and abetted the crime have also been arrested previously, according to the Mount Lavinia Division Criminal Investigation Unit.
At the time of the shooter’s arrest, he was found in possession of a locally-manufactured hand grenade, fifteen 9mm bullets, and two motorcycle number plates. The suspect, who was arrested at Vihara Mawatha in Kottawa, is a former member of the Sri Lanka Air Force, where he had served for one and a half years.
According to police, parts of the motorcycle believed to have been used in the crime, along with two fake number plates, were discovered buried behind the motorcycle rider’s residence in the Mambulgoda area of Kottawa.
On May 10, two individuals who had aided and abetted the crime were arrested, police said.
Accordingly, all suspects involved in the incident who are currently in the country have been apprehended, according to police. The investigation was conducted under the direct supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), who is in charge of the Mount Lavinia Division.
On May 5, two unidentified individuals arrived on a motorcycle and fatally shot 19-year-old Praveen Nissanka, a resident of Auburn Place in Dehiwala who was employed on a contract basis as a worker in the Solid Waste Management Division of the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council (DMMC).
Investigations into the incident were carried out by the Mount Lavinia Police and the Mount Lavinia Division Criminal Investigation Unit.
CCTV footage related to the incident shows the two suspects on a motorcycle chasing the victim before repeatedly opening fire at close range. The shooting occurred in full public view on a main road.
Police further revealed that the victim was the son of a drug trafficker known as ‘Dehiwala Chathuri,’ who is currently in remand custody. Reportedly, her daughter is also allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
