Tuen Mun Shooting: Two Police Officers Fire Shots; Injured Bystander Discharged from Hospital

A shooting occurred at Tuen Mun Town Plaza last night (January 15th). A 34-year-old man, armed with a knife, held a female passerby hostage. Police officers, after issuing ineffective warnings, fired two shots, and the suspect was pronounced dead after being sent to the hospital. It is understood that the two officers who fired the shots were a sergeant and a police constable from the New Territories North Regional Emergency Unit. The two male officers shot the suspect in the chest and right shoulder, both of which are considered the largest areas of the body. The female passerby who was held hostage sustained abrasions and was sent to the hospital, but was discharged the same evening after treatment.

Chief Superintendent Wong Ho-hon, Deputy Commander of the Tuen Mun Police District, stated at a press conference last night that the Hong Kong Police Force has strict guidelines for officers' use of firearms. In this case, a female passerby was taken hostage. "The New Territories North Regional Emergency Unit chose to tactically intervene immediately due to the seriousness of the incident." When appropriate low-level force failed to subdue the suspect, officers had to escalate their use of force. The use of firearms in this instance complied with police regulations, and the two officers from the Emergency Unit shot the suspect in the chest and right shoulder, which are considered the largest areas of the body.

Wong emphasized that "opening fire is not an easy decision" for police officers, but in this case, they had no other choice but to open fire "to save an innocent female passerby."

In addition, when asked whether the use of pepper spray would have led the suspect to further injure someone, Chief Superintendent Chung Lai-yee of the New Territories North Regional Crime Headquarters responded that the suspect was holding a knife after entering the shopping mall, and many passersby showed panic. Police officers discovered the suspect outside the shopping mall and used low-level force after ineffective warnings. The suspect left the shopping mall exit, held a female passerby hostage, and attacked with a knife. Police officers warned again without effect, so they used firearms.