The slain gunman, known as Ah Boy, had inquired about boat services to Thailand just hours before he was killed in a shootout with the police.
A Pulau Ketam resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the man approached him on Monday evening to ask about boat services.
“At the time, I didn’t know he was the suspect in the shooting incident at the mall in Setia Alam.
“I asked why he didn’t book a flight instead, and he told me his passport had been blacklisted. I was later informed that he had arrived here by ferry from the jetty,” he said.
A hotel worker, identified only as Cha, in his 30s, said the suspect checked into a room at around 5.15pm on Monday and planned to stay for three days.
“He looked like any other customer, dressed in normal clothing, a hat, and slippers. He was also carrying a plastic bag.
“I was shocked when the shootout happened, as nothing like this has ever occurred here before. The man was staying on the ground floor of the hotel,” he added.
Cha said he heard several gunshots before police ordered hotel guests and staff to evacuate.
According to the police, the suspect was killed at about 3am yesterday after opening fire on officers, forcing them to retaliate.
On 8 February, he had fired multiple shots at a shopping mall in Setia Alam, injuring a foreign cleaner.
The suspect, whose criminal activities began in 2014, had a record of multiple offences, including firearm possession, robberies, and a drug-related crime.
Before fleeing to Pulau Ketam, he had committed five crimes.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said that after the 8 February incident, the suspect initially fled south before returning to Selangor by threatening e-hailing and lorry drivers and stealing a motorcycle to reach his destination.
“After the incident at the shopping mall, he fled from Klang to Melaka and stayed there for five days before returning to Banting. Two days ago, he was spotted in Sabak Bernam.
“In Sabak Bernam, he committed housebreaking, brandished a firearm, and carried out a robbery before escaping to Pulau Ketam. This brought the total number of crimes he committed to 15,” he said.
Hussein added that authorities are investigating whether the suspect intended to use Pulau Ketam as a transit point before fleeing abroad, as well as tracing the source of his weapons.
Regarding the Setia Alam mall shooting, he said police have not ruled out the possibility that the suspect was planning a robbery.