Man, 59, allegedly seen holding knife while exiting AMK HDB block lift, police show up with shield

Police were called to Block 512 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 after a 59-year-old male resident was accused of exiting a lift at the block while holding a knife at around 11am on Apr. 3.

When a Shin Min Daily News reporter arrived at the scene at around 12pm, he saw three police vehicles parked at the block's car park and several police officers outside the man's unit.

One of the police officers was seen holding a knife that had a blade at least 10cm long, while another police officer was seen holding a shield at a distance along the common corridor.

At around 1pm, the police left the scene without arresting the man.

When the reporter approached the man, he first claimed that he did not leave his flat with a knife and that the knife held by the police officer had nothing to do with him.

However, he later claimed that he had gone downstairs to buy coconut water, but did not understand why he was being questioned.

Man denied leaving flat with knife

According to Shin Min, it was believed that a member of the public alerted the police after they saw the man's allegedly holding a knife in public and became worried about his intentions.

When questioned by the police, the man was apparently seen sitting on the ground, shaking his head incessantly.

After the police left the scene, the Shin Min reporter asked the man why the police appeared outside his flat.

In response, the man appeared emotional and insisted he did not know why.

To support his claim that he only went downstairs to buy drinks, he showed the reporter a half-finished coconut water beverage.

Never displayed aggressive behaviour previously: Neighbours

Residents living on the same floor as the man told Shin Min that he would usually greet his neighbours whenever they met, and he had never displayed aggressive behaviour previously.

Nevertheless, one of the residents said that her family member had apparently seen the man returning home with a knife on Apr. 2 evening.

She further alleged the man had hidden the knife at the clothes rack outside his unit door.

However, the resident said she did not alert the police because the man had never displayed aggressive or violent behaviour in the past.

Top image via Shin Min Daily News