While Singapore is generally a safe place, there have been a few recent cases of people wielding sharp objects in public.
Unfortunately, an elderly man encountered one of them when he was allegedly attacked with a chopper in broad daylight.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
The police arrested a suspect in just five hours.
In a statement on Friday (28 Oct), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said this seemingly unprovoked attack occurred on Wednesday (26 Oct) at about 3.35pm.
It took place at Thye Hin Hoe, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) store in Bedok Central, reported Shin Min Daily News.
The store is located at Block 208 New Upper Changi Road.
According to CCTV footage, the 69-year-old male victim was casually browsing outside the store, with his back turned to the corridor.
A man, wearing a white long-sleeved top, khaki pants and a black cap, then came up from behind him and took out a chopper.
He then appeared to slash the uncle with the implement.
As the uncle cowered in pain, his alleged assailant ran away.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
The man fled the scene before the police arrived, they said.
Meanwhile, the victim sustained head injuries and was conveyed to the hospital conscious.
The police leapt into action by making extensive ground enquiries and looking through police camera footage.
Officers from Bedok Police Division thus managed to quickly identify the man suspected of the act.
They arrested him within five hours of the reported incident, SPF said.
A chopper was also recovered from a dustbin nearby.
Source: Singapore Police Force
The SPF said the suspect, a 31-year-old man, was charged in court on Friday (28 Oct).
During the hearing, it was said that he suffered from schizophrenia, reported Shin Min Daily News.
He’s currently being remanded for psychiatric evaluation.
The man stands accused of voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon, under Section 324 of the Penal Code 1871.
If convicted, he faces a prison term of up to seven years, a fine, caning, or a combination of these punishments.
Saying that they won’t tolerate such “brazen acts of violence and blatant disregard of the law”, the police added:
We will spare no effort to track down such offenders and will deal with them in accordance with the law.
MS News wishes the elderly victim a quick recovery from his injuries.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News on Facebook and Singapore Police Force.
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