Hougang knife attack: Woman dies from injuries, two others including suspect hurt

A knife attack in Hougang in the late morning on Dec 10 left one woman dead and two others, including the suspected assailant, injured.

The 34-year-old woman, who is believed to be a worker at the hardware store where she was attacked, was seriously injured during the attack and was found with stab wounds.

A 26-year-old man – another worker – was also wounded, the police said.

The 42-year-old suspect, believed to be also a worker at the store, has been arrested, said the police in a statement.

The police said: “He was found with injuries sustained during the attack and was conveyed to the hospital. Preliminary investigations revealed that all parties are known to each other.”

When The Straits Times arrived at the scene at about 2pm, a woman in her 60s working at a nearby department store said she heard loud screams coming from Quan Long Nippon Paint hardware store at about 11am.

The hardware store is located close to Kovan Market and Food Centre.

The woman, who declined to be named, said: “We heard a woman screaming, and some people went to see what was going on. They came back quickly and told everyone to hide in the store because there was a man with a knife.”

She added that workers and several customers from the department store then hid in the shop until the police came.

The police cordoned off the hardware store and the next-door fruit stall and jewellery shop.

The suspect had allegedly pulled out a knife in the shop and attacked the woman, who tried to run but could not get away.

A worker intervened and was injured after wrestling with the man.

According to witnesses, the woman had multiple cuts on her back.

Witnesses said paramedics arrived minutes later, and heavily armed police officers quickly secured the area.

Staff at Intemedical Kovan, a clinic next to the hardware shop, said Dr Chong Wen Yu had gone out to help those injured during the incident.

He declined to comment when approached.

All three were taken to hospital, with the attacker escorted by police officers. The woman died from her injuries in hospital.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force, in response to queries, said it got a call for help at about 11.05am, and later took two people to Changi General Hospital and one person to Sengkang General Hospital.

At about 5pm, ST observed that the counter area of the hardware store seemed to be in disarray, with staff later clearing up after the cordon was lifted.

They were seen mopping up bloodstains on the floor of the shop and declined to comment when approached by the media.

The suspect is expected to be charged with murder on Dec 12, and if found guilty, faces the death penalty.

This is the third case of murder or suspected murder in less than two weeks.

On Nov 30, a 66-year-old man was charged with the murder of a 67-year-old woman in her Ang Mo Kio Housing Board flat.

On Dec 2, the body of a 30-year-old woman was found inside an HDB flat in Dover. The police are seeking assistance from overseas authorities to locate a man connected to her death.

Including the latest case, there have been 10 cases of murder or alleged murder so far in 2024.

Source: Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Permission required for reproduction.

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