Witnesses say Yangon youths joined hands before a fatal leap to escape soldiers.

Residents said today that a group of Yangon teenagers locked arms before leaping from a rooftop to escape pursuing security forces, killing three of them.

Residents on 44th Street described soldiers opening fire on the group they were looking for after a series of downtown bombings, prompting them to flee a room in a residential building to the rooftop, where five of them jumped. The fall killed three people.

“They ascended to the roof and fled. The soldiers fired five rounds at them,” Zaw, a resident of the adjacent building who requested that his full name not be used, told Coconuts on Wednesday. “One was shot and killed, while the others jumped into a back alley holding hands.”

According to reports, two boys and a girl died in the five-story fall. Several broken bodies were allegedly found on the ground in images and a video (warning, graphic) taken at the scene.

Three more people were apprehended. It was unclear whether they were wanted in relation to the previous bombings. An image later circulated purportedly showing those detained, as well as what was said to be bomb-making materials in the room.

“When they reached the ground, one boy and one girl were still alive. I could hear the boy crying, and the girl was being beaten by soldiers. Only two hours later did the ambulance arrive,” Zaw added.

According to another 44th street resident, the soldiers prevented anyone from providing assistance.

“The boy asked for water, but no one could help him because [the soldiers] were pointing guns at everyone. It was like something out of a movie,” said Naing, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

He went on to say, "They were taken blindfolded."

The two survivors were reportedly taken to a military hospital.

The victims' names were Kaung Min Thant, Ye Min Oo, and Wai Wai Myint. Wai Zaw and Min Thitsar were among those admitted to the hospital. Three more people were apprehended in the building's apartment.

Tin Zaw, Ye Min Oo's father, told Radio Free Asia that his 27-year-old son was detained by security forces in February before being released. He said that his son had never been interested in politics before the coup but actively defied the junta since then.

Tin Zaw expressed pride in his son, saying, "There was no large organization behind him."

According to a statement released today by the military, a man and a woman were killed and three others were injured during search operations. According to the report, two men and a woman were apprehended with 16 homemade grenades and other explosives.