Update: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirms the man was shot.
Their full statement: “KNIFE-WIELDING MAN SHOT BY POLICE OFFICER
The Police have arrested a 49-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.
On 17 February 2022 at about 8.40pm, the Police were alerted to a case where a 41-year-old man was purportedly assaulted by a 49-year-old man with a knife along Block 420A Clementi Avenue 1. The 41-year-old man suffered injuries on his right arm and wrist, and was conveyed conscious to the hospital. Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim and assailant were not known to each other.
The 49-year-old man 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, the man 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, he then fired one shot at the man with his service revolver. The man was then detained by the officers. The 49-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound on his left arm. He was conveyed conscious to the hospital and is currently in a stable condition.
The 49-year-old man will be charged on 18 February 2022 for the offences of criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon. The offence of criminal intimidation carries an imprisonment term of up to two years or a fine, or both. The offence of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon carries an imprisonment term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with caning.
The Police will not tolerate criminal acts which display a blatant disregard of the law and we will spare no efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
Commander of Clementi Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Marc E, expressed his appreciation to the officers for their bravery and devotion to their duty and 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. Police officers risk their safety on a daily basis and 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.””
Singapore – A video going viral on WhatsApp and other social media shows a policeman apparently firing a gunshot at an aggressive man.
The incident happened in the early hours of Friday morning in the vicinity of the Clementi Police Division headquarters.
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The 23-second-clip was taken by a father and daughter passing by the headquarters building. In the clip, the father can be heard saying: “Run ah, police!” and his daughter responding: “Daddy don’t get involved”.
The pair were quiet for a few seconds as a man can be seen brandishing what looked to be a knife in his hand. The man charges towards a police officer before a loud bang can be heard, possibly gunfire.
The woman in the car can be heard saying: “Oh s**t, really bang him ah?” to which her father responds: “Shoot him already, ah”.
The man with the knife then is seen falling to the ground as at least six officers rush to surround him, with other officers rushing out of the station.
It is unclear if a live round was fired or if police tasered the man.
“The Police have arrested a knife-wielding man outside Clementi Police Division, for his suspected involvement in the offences of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon and criminal intimidation,” police said in a statement, as reported by CNA .
The statement did not mention if a firearm was discharged.
“The man was attended to by paramedics before being conveyed conscious to the hospital,” police said, adding that a fuller statement will be issued “in due course”.
Several Facebook pages where the video was posted captioned the video as: “Police firing a shot and taking down aggressive man”.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed on Jun 22, 2021, that frontline officers will now use the new Glock 19 Gen 5 pistol. It replaces the standard-issue Taurus M85 revolver. A revolver contains a revolving cylinder in which rounds are loaded, while most pistols have a removable magazine into which rounds are loaded.
Netizens were quick to react:
/TISG