Bio

Public records and available reports give very little information about Sanurip's early life. There are no widely published, verifiable details about his date of birth, place of birth, family, or schooling.

What is recorded is that he served in the Indonesian Army special forces, Kopassus. His rank is listed as Second Lieutenant in military records and reports.

Some reports from military spokesmen said he showed signs of depression and that malaria might have affected his state. A military tribunal later rejected the defence that he was suffering from malaria-induced depression.

He was tried by a military tribunal and was sentenced to death on 23 April 1997. The Military High Court dismissed his appeal on 18 June 1997, and he lodged a further appeal to the Indonesian Supreme Court. Amnesty International expressed concern that the court had rejected evidence regarding his mental health. Later reports say he died in a hospital.

Murder Story

On 15 April 1996, at Mozes Kilangin Airport in Timika, Irian Jaya, Second Lieutenant Sanurip of Kopassus opened fire. Reports say sixteen people were killed and eleven others were injured. Other accounts say thirteen people were wounded.

Military spokesmen said he was reprimanded after waking in a hangar used as a commando post. He began firing at about 7 a.m. He first shot five other military personnel, including Lieutenant Colonel Adel Gustimigo, and then ran out of the hangar while firing at others.

Within seconds sixteen people died. The dead included five Kopassus officers, six ABRI soldiers, and five civilians. One civilian killed was New Zealander Michael Findlay, an Airfast pilot. Other named victims included Lieutenant Colonel Adel Gustimigo, Major Gunawan, Captain Djatmiko, Antonio Budi Afianto, and several soldiers listed in the official reports.

He fired a total of 52 shots, according to the reports. Other soldiers finally subdued him after he was shot in the leg.

The motive was not clear. Some suggested he was depressed or ill, possibly with malaria. Reports that he began shooting after seeing the remains of soldiers or after a heated argument with superiors were later denied by military spokesmen.

Sanurip was tried by a military tribunal in Jayapura and was sentenced to death on 23 April 1997. Amnesty International raised concerns because the court had rejected evidence about his mental health. The Military High Court in Surabaya dismissed his appeal on 18 June 1997. He was discharged from the Indonesian Armed Forces and ordered to pay a court fee. He later appealed to the Indonesian Supreme Court. Sanurip later died in a hospital.

A military tribunal rejected the defence that he was suffering from malaria-induced depression. The incident has been described in reports as one of the deadliest workplace shootings in modern history.