customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Clifford Lo

Natalie Wong

Hong Kong police have said an officer who shot dead a knife-wielding man acted professionally, as the situation was so serious that he was left with “no choice” but to open fire.
Authorities said on Monday the 38-year-old man, who had a history of mental illness and was an outpatient of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, received an injection of antipsychotic medication last Friday.
His wife called police on Sunday night, two days later, saying his mental health had deteriorated and he had attacked her and his elderly mother in the family’s rooftop flat in North Point.
A spokeswoman for the Chai Wan hospital said medical staff assessed his condition as “stable” when he received the injection last week, and his next consultation was scheduled for next month.
Superintendent Sin Kwok-ming of the Hong Kong Island regional crime unit said investigations showed the man, surnamed Li, showed signs of having recently had a mental illness relapse.
Sin said Li attacked his 68-year-old mother in the Kam Ping Street flat, leaving her with head injuries and a fractured hand.
The mother managed to escape and was later taken to hospital. Li’s wife, 41, and two tenants locked themselves in rooms inside the two-storey rooftop flats of their subdivided home.
Police arrived at around 9.19pm. The force said officers attempted to persuade the man to put down the knife and scissors he was holding but “he suddenly lost control of emotions and attempted to attack one of the police officers with the weapons in his hands”.
An officer from the emergency unit – a policeman with eight years of experience – eventually fired a shot at Li after he allegedly ignored repeated warnings during a 30-second stand-off at a distance of about 1.5 metres (5 feet).

The superintendent said the man rushed towards officers.
“It was a critical situation,” Sin said. “The man was holding weapons in both hands as he advanced towards our colleagues. To protect everyone’s safety in this situation, we had no other choice. I can see that our colleagues acted professionally.”
He added that a preliminary investigation suggested the officer was justified to use his weapon.
The injured man was taken to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai, where he later died.
His mother and wife were taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment.
Asked whether it was necessary to open fire at the suspect’s chest, Sin said officers were required to shoot what was called the “centre mass” of the target, the biggest part of the body.
According to the Hospital Authority, the psychiatric department of Pamela Youde Nethersole Hospital has been treating Li for mental illness since 2017.
“During this period, he attended regular check-ups, received injections of antipsychotic medication and maintained a stable condition with no history of violence,” a hospital spokeswoman said on Monday.
She said the patient’s last consultation was on July 19, when a psychiatric doctor said his condition was “stable” and prescribed psychiatric medication.
“The patient then returned to the hospital on September 13 for another injection of antipsychotic medication, and at that time, medical staff assessed him as stable,” she said.
Sin said the family had no reports of domestic violence.
He said the death was an unfortunate incident and expressed his condolences to Li’s family.

Officers from the Hong Kong Island regional crime unit are following up on the case.
The Post learned that Li moved to Hong Kong from Fujian province in mainland China about 30 years ago and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia for many years.
“His last relapse of mental health issues was about seven years ago,” a source said.
He lived in the two-storey rooftop flat with his parents, wife, elder brother and about four rental tenants.
The Social Welfare Department said it had contacted the deceased’s family to offer help. Government social workers were not previously involved with the family, according to a source.
Psychiatrist Chan Chung-mau said even stable patients diagnosed with schizophrenia could still experience acute symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions when undergoing stress or other triggering events.
Chan, who is also the president of the Hong Kong Association for the Promotion of Mental Health, said family members, neighbours and first responders should try to keep calm when dealing with aggressive behaviour from emotionally unstable patients.
“It is very important to avoid any kind of confrontation. Do not shout at them, but instead, listen to them calmly and patiently,” he said.
Chan added the man’s family acted appropriately by locking themselves in their rooms to ensure their own safety.
He also highlighted the city’s shortage of psychiatrists, noting the current ratio was around 18,000 residents per psychiatrist, which falls short of the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 10,000 residents per psychiatrist.
Chan said it was difficult for the professionals to provide adequate support to people with mental illness as the city only had about 400 psychiatric doctors, half of whom worked in the private sector.
The Hospital Authority launched a 24-hour Mental Health Support Hotline, which can be contacted by calling 18111, in December last year to offer immediate counselling and referral services to those in need.
Yuen Shuk-yan, a community organiser at the Society for Community Organisation and a former member of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health, said the hotline’s large reliance on non-professionally trained volunteers was unacceptable.
She also urged the government to enhance public awareness of both the hotline and the early symptoms of schizophrenia such as mood swings, insomnia and irritability, saying early intervention could significantly improve the management of the condition.
Additional reporting by Connor Mycroft


Prosecutors accuse Hong Kong ex-opposition lawmaker of inciting riot against ‘white shirts’

Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog warns jobseekers against ‘blind’ ads to protect personal data

Hong Kong customs seizes HK$10 million of smuggled platinum, its largest haul in 20 years

Hong Kong beautician jailed for 7 weeks over helping boss provide unlicensed botox jab

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police officer acted professionally to fatally shoot armed man, force says

The man had a knife and a pair of scissors when he was dashing towards officers, police said. Photo: Google Maps

Superintendent Sin Kwok-ming says the man showed signs of recently having a mental illness relapse. Photo: Handout

The injured man was taken to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai, where he later died. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong police officer draws gun, smashes window to subdue 5 suspects during vehicle stop

Police were alerted to a car suspected of carrying a fake number plate at around 3.30pm. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong police arrest 262 people, seize HK$759 million of drugs in summer operation

In Hong Kong, trafficking a dangerous drug is punishable by up to life in prison and a HK$5 million fine. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Officers seize 1,366kg of various narcotics and controlled drugs during a 35-day citywide operation during this year’s summer holiday. Photo: Jonathan Wong

14 arrested in Hong Kong over cross-border syndicate that laundered HK$230 million

A display of some of the evidence seized in a police operation against the syndicate that allegedly laundered HK$231 million. Photo: Edmond So

Officers from the commercial crime bureau (from left) Lai Mei-yee, Lo Yuen-shan and Mak Wai-kwong reveal their findings in a press conference at Police Headquarters in Wan Chai. Photo: Edmond So

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

‘It was a critical situation. The man was holding weapons in both hands as he advanced towards our colleagues,’ superintendent says


‘It was a critical situation. The man was holding weapons in both hands as he advanced towards our colleagues,’ superintendent says.


Hong Kong police

Crime

Hong Kong society

Accidents and personal safety in Hong Kong