Knife-wielding man shot by police after confrontation in Clementi
UPDATE: The knife-wielding man, 49-year-old Soo Cheow Wee, was charged in court on Friday afternoon (18 February).
SINGAPORE — A man who allegedly charged at a police officer with a knife was charged in court on Friday (18 February) a day after a video of the incident made its rounds online.
Soo Cheow Wee, 49, was handed one count of voluntarily causing hurt and one count of criminal intimidation.
He is said to have caused hurt to a 41-year-old man by slashing him with a knife on the pavement near Block 420A Clementi Avenue 1, at about 8.40pm on Thursday.
About 15 minutes, Soo allegedly criminally intimidated a 20-year-old man outside of outside Clementi Police Division located at 20 Clementi Avenue 5, by charging towards him while brandishing a knife.
Soo was remanded for psychiatric observation after he was charged and will return to court on 11 March.
Shot in the arm after charging towards police officer
According to a police news release, the 41-year-old man that Soo allegedly attacked suffered injuries on his right arm and wrist, and was conveyed conscious to the hospital. Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim and Soo were not known to each other.
Soo then boarded a taxi to Clementi Police Division and was seen holding a knife and standing outside the police station. On-duty police officers approached the man, and he was observed to be shouting incoherently.
Despite the officers’ repeated instructions to drop the knife, Soo allegedly refused to comply with the verbal warning and charged towards one of the officers, while armed with a knife. As there was imminent threat to the officer, the officer fired one shot at the man with his service revolver.
Soo sustained a gunshot wound on his left arm, and was conveyed conscious to the hospital upon being detained, where he was later charged.
Marc E, commander of Clementi Police Division expressed his appreciation to the officers. He said, "The officer assessed that his life was in imminent danger from the knife-wielding man and therefore opened fire.
"The officers ensured that the threatening situation was brought under control quickly with no danger to the public. This incident showed that officers have to react to the evolving situation quickly to prevent further harm to the public, while using the appropriate level of force.”
The offence of criminal intimidation carries an imprisonment term of up to two years and/or a fine. The offence of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon carries an imprisonment term which may extend to seven years and/or a fine.
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