Tragedy struck Pasir Ris West Plaza earlier this evening as a 61-year-old man went on a rampage and slashed 3 people at the mall, leaving at least four people injured, including the suspected assailant himself, according to The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.
The incident, which unfolded at approximately 4 pm on Wednesday (20 Dec), sent shockwaves through the community.
Chronology of the Incident
Eyewitnesses reported a chaotic scene outside the Royal Regent provision shop, where the victims bore visible injuries.
Witnesses recounted the presence of over 30 police officers, some armed with rifles, indicating the severity of the situation.
The victims, allegedly attacked by a man in his 60s wielding a kitchen knife, suffered varying degrees of injuries.
The victims, a 53-year-old man, a 53-year-old woman and another 55-year-old woman were injured in the slashing and subsequently conveyed to the hospital conscious.
According to ST, a witness said that the two female victims were sisters who fought off the attacker despite being injured, and the assailant eventually collapsed outside the shop.
The assailant was also injured in the slashing and didn’t try to escape the scene after the attack, and he was sent to the hospital semi-conscious before subsequently being arrested for voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon
Eyewitness Accounts
Residents and passersby were shocked by the sudden outburst of violence. Goods were found scattered on the ground, and blood stains marked a trail over five meters.
An eyewitness told Zaobao that one of the victims was so badly injured that their eyeball almost fell out, while another victim had her back slashed.
A few of the shops nearby had to be cordoned off as witnesses noted heavy police presence at the scene. Police officer(s) could be seen speaking to a few witnesses at the scene.
A netizen on Facebook, Patrick Tan, posted a video of the aftermath of the incident, saying that the assailant allegedly went into one of the shops and slashed two staff members, with one of them losing an eye and another lying on the ground.
According to Channel NewsAsia, who quoted the police, the Singapore Police Force said that according to their preliminary investigations, the assailant knew the victims and was apparently not on “friendly terms” with them.
Police investigations into the incident are currently underway.
FULL VIDEO LOADING…
Image and video source: Patrick Tan on Facebook