Man, 48, allegedly locked himself & his mum inside Clementi flat, arrested after 3-hour standoff with police

A 48-year-old man was arrested on Jul. 15 following a three-hour standoff with the police at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Clementi, where he allegedly locked himself and his mother inside.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident took place at a fifth-floor unit at Block 731 Clementi West Street 2.

20 police officers positioned outside the unit

When Shin Min arrived at the scene at around 10pm, the area below the block had been cordoned off and many residents had gathered around to watch.

At least two tactical vehicles, three Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire engines and several police vehicles were seen at the scene.

Police officers were stationed on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the block.

A safety air cushion had also been deployed below the unit.

At around 10:45pm, SCDF personnel were seen lowering a safety net from an upper floor to the window of the unit.

Officers equipped with riot shields were positioned outside the unit, Shin Min reported.

At about 11pm, a man in a blue shirt was escorted to a police vehicle in handcuffs.

Witness statements

A resident, surnamed Huang, told Shin Min that the man lived with his elderly mother and had been unemployed for several years, relying on her income as a cleaner.

He said several people he believed to be counsellors had visited the unit at about 6pm, but the man refused to open the door.

Police subsequently arrived at around 8pm and asked him to come out.

"I did not see the police force entry into the unit," Huang said. "I believe the man eventually opened the door."

Another resident said police officers entered his fourth-floor unit, while SCDF personnel remained on standby during the operation.

He added that he heard the man shouting and swearing repeatedly before the arrest.

When Shin Min later visited the unit, an elderly woman and another woman were present, but both declined to comment.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirmed receiving a call for assistance at around 7:50pm on Wednesday.

Upon arriving, officers established that a 48-year-old man had locked himself in his residential unit and might pose a danger to himself.

Officers from the Special Operations Command, Crisis Negotiation Unit and SCDF responded to the incident.

At about 10:45pm, police officers managed to gain entry into the bedroom of the residential unit where the man was.

The man was subsequently apprehended under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008.

Repeated disturbances over the years

Several residents told Shin Min that they had experienced repeated disturbances from the unit over the years.

One resident said the man could often be heard shouting, sometimes late at night, causing distress to neighbours.

"He lives upstairs, so the noise is very loud," he said. "I once went to his door hoping to speak with him, but he never answered."

The resident added that he had installed soundproof windows to reduce the noise and said he would have considered moving if he had young children at home.

Another resident said she understood the man to have a mental health condition and that he would sometimes shout for 15 to 20 minutes each time.

She said she had lived in the block for about five years and had experienced the same issue almost daily, adding that disturbances had continued despite reports to the authorities.