A dinner outing quickly took a dark turn when a 71-year-old man and his family found themselves embroiled in a violent incident within the confines of a lift, according to Shin Min Daily News.
The man’s family, accompanied by a friend, enjoyed a meal at Tampines One shopping mall last Wednesday (5 July). Following their dinner, they proceeded to explore the mall and engage in some shopping. The plan was to head to the car park in the basement, which required taking the lift from the fourth floor.
The crowded lift and the encounter
As the family entered the lift, they were joined by a young couple with two children. Among them was a baby lying in a stroller.
The lift was already crowded, accommodating a total of ten people, including the elderly man’s family, their friend, and the other family of five.
Escalation of the situation
Unfortunately, as the lift ascended, a mishap occurred. The stroller accidentally rolled over the foot of the elderly man, causing him discomfort.
Concerned for her father’s well-being, the man’s daughter requested the other family to maintain a distance from them.
This request didn’t sit well with the mother of the other family, who expressed her displeasure and suggested that the daughter should have taken the escalator instead.
The physical altercation
The tension between the two women quickly escalated into an argument. In an attempt to intervene and defuse the situation, the elderly man raised his hand to try to stop them from fighting.
However, this gesture was misinterpreted by the other woman’s husband, who believed the elderly man intended to become physically aggressive.
In response, the other man resorted to violence and repeatedly punched the elderly man in the face.
Police involvement
The physical altercation continued until the lift reached the ground floor. At this point, the other family removed their children from the lift and the fight carried on until passers-by intervened to separate them.
Subsequently, the woman who was part of the elderly man’s family filed a police report against the young family, seeking justice for the assault.
The man’s friend, who was also present during the incident, shared her account. She stated that the altercation lasted for approximately two minutes and that she sustained bruises on her hands while trying to stop the fight.
The violence inflicted upon the elderly man resulted in the loss of three of his teeth. It is worth noting that the elderly man already suffered from heart disease and diabetes, and the injuries sustained in the assault led to an eight-day medical leave and a significant impact on his daily life, and now he can only eat porridge.
Conflicting accounts and witness statements
In an attempt to gather all perspectives, Shin Min also spoke with the friend of the woman who filed the police report. This friend, named Yu, shed further light on the incident.
Yu mentioned that the altercation began when the stroller accidentally rolled over the elderly man’s foot. According to her, both sides engaged in an argument, with the woman from the other family initiating physical violence against the elderly man’s wife.
Yu disputed the claims made by the other family, particularly regarding the alleged flipping of the stroller by the elderly man.
She expressed the hope that CCTV footage would reveal the truth and provide clarity on the events that transpired.