Priest injured in knife attack at St Joseph's Church discharged from hospital

He was discharged six days after the attack.

Natalie Ong

November 15, 2024, 06:41 PM

Father Christopher Lee, the priest injured in the Nov. 9 knife attack at St Joseph's Church, has been discharged from the hospital, announced the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.

In a statement published on Nov. 15, the church shared:

"We are pleased to share that Fr. Christopher Lee has been discharged from the hospital following the unfortunate incident on Nov. 9.
He will be on medical leave to recuperate fully."

Lee also expressed his sincere gratitude, saying he was "deeply grateful for the overwhelming love and support from the Catholic community at St Joseph’s Church and beyond."

"Your prayers and well-wishes have been a source of strength and comfort during my recovery," he added.

The church also shared that Lee's family and the church request prayers for his full recovery and ask for privacy in this time of healing.

How the attack unfolded

On Nov. 9, Lee had been holding a children's mass from 5:30pm to 6:30pm for the church congregation when he was attacked by 37-year-old Singaporean Sinhalese Basnayake Keith Spencer.

Spencer, who had previously declared to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that he was Christian, had brought five weapons along to mass.

The weapons include a box cutter, a hammer-like object, a hook, and a flip knife which was used in the attack.

When it was time for holy communion at approximately 6:20pm, Spencer had allegedly attacked Lee with a foldable knife, causing Lee to sustain lacerations on his tongue, upper lip and at the corner of his mouth.

Attacker to return to court in December

Spencer was arrested on Nov. 9, and charged in court on Nov. 11.

According to CNA, Spencer appeared unrepresented on Nov. 11.

The prosecution has applied for him to be remanded at Changi Medical Complex for three weeks to undergo psychiatric assessments.

Spencer will return to court on Dec. 2.

If convicted, he could face life imprisonment or be jailed for up to 15 years.

He could also be subjected to caning and/or a fine.