Five members of the public helped to subdue a 20-year-old chopper-wielding man who allegedly injured seven people on Feb. 3, CNA reported.
Preliminary police investigation revealed that the man had acted alone, with no signs indicating that it was an act of terror.
The 20-year-old was reported to have attacked people at Commonwealth Avenue, Margaret Drive Hawker Centre, and a park connector.
Travelled 900 metres
The 20-year-old man allegedly attacked the first victim near Margaret Drive Hawker Centre.
The second and third victim was allegedly attacked at the ground floor lift lobby of a nearby Housing Development Board (HDB) block.
The fourth victim was allegedly attacked in the area around Margaret Drive Hawker Centre, while the fifth to seventh victims were allegedly attacked along the Alexandra Canal Park connector.
An 8world reporter said that the suspect had travelled around 900 metres, from Margaret Drive to Queens Peak condominium.
Attacked with knife, chopper, and bare hands
The 20-year-old allegedly attacked his victims with a knife, a chopper, and his bare hands.
The victims had no connection or relationship with the suspect prior to the offence.
Two men, aged 76 and 40, along with a six-year-old girl, who suffered minor injuries, were taken conscious to the hospital, the police told CNA. They obtained outpatient treatment.
Another three men, aged 54, 21, and 20, along with a 45-year-old woman also sustained minor injuries but declined further medical assistance.
Received a call for assistance at 7:05pm
According to the police, they received a call for assistance at 7:05pm on Feb. 3.
The suspect was said to have been running towards 301 Commonwealth Avenue.
Police arrived at the location within eight minutes of the call and arrested the man about 400 metres away, at 1 Dundee Road.
They were assisted by five members of the public, who detained the man at about 7:18pm.
To be charged in court on Feb. 5
The 20-year-old suspect will be charged in court on Monday (Feb. 5) for voluntarily causing hurt through the use of dangerous weapons, the police told CNA.
According to the Straits Times, the man does not have any prior criminal record.
A court order will be requested for the man to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for psychiatric assessment.
For voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons, an offender faces up to seven years of prison term, a fine, caning, or any combination of these punishments.
It is also an offence to be in possession of an offensive weapon without lawful purposes. If found guilty, the offender faces up to three years of prison term, and at least six strokes of the cane.
One of the victims helped to subdue suspect
The five members of the public who assisted with the arrest were presented with the Public Spiritedness Award by the police.
Three of them were present at the ceremony— Mok Kwong Heng, Gangatharan Saravanan and Emmanuel Ee Wei Chuan.
Image via 8world.
Ee, 21, is one of the victims attacked by the man wielding a chopper. He gave chase after he was attacked and helped to subdue the suspect before police arrived.
Top image via 8world and Google Maps.