Knife-Wielding Rampage at Mixed-Use Building in Guwol-dong, Incheon; 8 Injured, Man in His 60s Arrested

【The Financial News, Incheon — Reporter Han Gap-su】 A man in his 60s went on a knife-wielding rampage at a mixed-use building in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon, injuring eight members of the public. One of the injured was reportedly taken to hospital in cardiac arrest and is undergoing emergency surgery.
Police and fire authorities said on the 13th that, at around 1:49 p.m. that day, the 119 emergency line received a report of a knife-wielding rampage at the CNC mixed-use building in Namdong-gu, Incheon, which houses a Homeplus store and a CGV movie theater, among other businesses.
Police who responded to the scene arrested a man in his 60s, identified as A, on suspicion of wielding a weapon, and are investigating his motive and the circumstances of the incident.
A is believed to have traveled by escalator while wielding a weapon, from basement level 2, where the Homeplus store is located, to the second floor above ground, where shops are located. Witnesses said A committed the attack with knives tied to both hands. A was reportedly subdued by people at the scene.
B, the operator of a game shop on the second floor who was at the scene at the time, said, “The suspect, with knives tied to both hands, stabbed people eating in the restaurant area,” and added, “When he was caught by police, many knives were found in his bag.”
One person was injured at the Homeplus store on basement level 1, six in the second-floor restaurant area, and one in the third-floor restaurant area, for a total of eight. Fire authorities set up an emergency medical station on the building’s first floor and began responding at the scene in preparation for multiple casualties.
Meanwhile, A reportedly staged a one-person protest for about two months outside a hospital in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, last month. In connection with the protest, he was booked by the Gyeyang Police Station on suspicion of possessing a weapon, and was reportedly wearing an electronic location-tracking device (ankle monitor). Police are investigating the precise circumstances, including any connection between that case and the current attack.
[email protected] Han Gap-su Reporter