Following the slashing incident last night (20 December) that saw 4 people, including the assailant, suffering injuries and sent to the hospital, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean issued a statement on his Facebook page addressing the issue.
He acknowledged that there were concerns among Singaporeans following the incident, and he allayed those fears by stating that the slashing incident was not a random one, but rather, it stemmed from an ongoing dispute between the parties involved.
He added that the suspect is believed to have acted alone in the slashing, and that all the injured parties are currently hospitalised and assessed to be in stable condition(s).
Teo Chee Hean’s Facebook Statement
Dear residents,
I know that we are all concerned about the slashing incident at West Plaza on 20 Dec 23. This is what we know so far:-
The incident was not random. It is believed that it may be related to an ongoing dispute between the parties involved in the incident.
There were 4 injured persons – 3 victims and one suspect.
All 4 are in hospital and currently assessed to be stable.
The suspect is believed to have acted alone.
Recap on the incident
The incident at Pasir Ris West Plaza on the evening of December 20th was a shocking and tragic event that left at least four people injured, including the 61-year-old suspected assailant, according to The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.
The rampage occurred around 4 pm outside the Royal Regent provision shop, where eyewitnesses reported a chaotic scene.
The victims, a 53-year-old man, a 53-year-old woman, and a 55-year-old woman, were allegedly attacked by a man in his 60s wielding a kitchen knife. Despite suffering varying degrees of injuries, they were conscious when transported to the hospital.
Witnesses recounted a significant police presence, with over 30 officers, some armed with rifles, indicating the severity of the situation.
One witness mentioned that the two female victims were sisters who bravely fought off the attacker, despite sustaining injuries, as reported by The Straits Times.
The assailant, also injured in the slashing, did not attempt to flee the scene and collapsed outside the shop. He was later sent to the hospital semi-conscious and subsequently arrested for voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.
Eyewitness accounts described a disturbing scene with goods scattered on the ground and blood stains marking a trail over five meters.
One victim was purportedly so severely injured that their eyeball almost fell out, while another had her back slashed, according to a witness who spoke to Lianhe Zaobao.
Shops nearby had to be cordoned off, and a video posted on Facebook by Patrick Tan showed the aftermath, with claims that two staff members were slashed, resulting in one losing an eye.
According to the Singapore Police Force’s preliminary investigations, the assailant knew the victims and was not on friendly terms with them, as reported by Channel NewsAsia.
Police investigations into the incident are currently underway to uncover the motives and circumstances surrounding this tragic event. The community is undoubtedly shaken by this unforeseen outburst of violence, and thoughts go out to the victims and their families.