UPDATE (10 Jan, 12PM): The 41-year-old man who held a woman at knifepoint in Yishun was charged on Tuesday (10 Jan) and remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).
He faces one charge of possessing an offensive weapon without lawful purpose and could face up to three years in jail and at least six strokes of the cane.
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On Monday (9 Jan) morning, a 42-year-old man shocked Yishun residents when he held a 60-year-old woman hostage with a knife.
While the timeline of the dramatic events was made clear thanks to eyewitness accounts and videos, little is known about the man and his motives.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has since revealed that he has tested positive for drugs.
He will be charged in court on Tuesday (10 Jan).
After responding to a call at 7.36am, officers from the Woodlands Division arrived at the scene in eight minutes, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) quoted the SPF as saying during a press conference on Monday (9 Jan) evening.
They saw the man holding onto the woman. A knife was in his right hand, held against her neck.
He didn’t make any threats or demands after the police arrived, they said.
After an “initial engagement”, the man continued to hold the woman at knifepoint.
Image courtesy of MS News reader
However, the officers managed to disarm him and place him under arrest. They took 20 minutes to do so, SPF added.
Image courtesy of MS News reader
After his arrest, the knife was seized from him.
It was found to have an 8cm blade and a 10cm handle.
According to preliminary investigations, the stains on the knife were found not to be human blood, the police said.
The SPF didn’t name the man or the woman involved, though based on preliminary investigations, they do not know each other.
However, the police know the man — officers who patrol the area had previously interacted with him, a police spokesperson said.
Thus, they said they’re familiar with him, but we was not wanted by the authorities.
Image courtesy of MS News reader
As for the woman, a witness interviewed by MS News said she was a regular at the coffee shop.
But nobody we spoke to knew who the man was.
He allegedly waited for the woman at the lift lobby before taking her hostage, telling her, “I’m so sorry”.
The police also revealed another point — the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) tested the man’s urine for drugs after arresting him.
It came back positive for controlled drugs.
The Commander of Woodlands Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ang Eng Seng, was quoted by CNA as saying that the suspect “posed a grave danger to the public” and “demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law”.
As such, the man will be charged in court on Tuesday (10 Jan).
If convicted of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, he may be given a prison term of up to three years and at least six strokes of the cane.
He may also be interred at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for psychiatric evaluation after being charged.
Assistant Commissioner Ang believed that the hostage situation, shocking as it was, was a one-off incident.
Yishun residents need not be unduly worried, he said, adding,
In general, the law and order situation in Yishun is well under control.
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Featured image by MS News.
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