Singapore police arrested a 46-year-old man after he was allegedly stopped from slashing his wife’s throat in a public place on Thursday 14th April 2022.
Police said in a statement on Thursday night that they had responded to a case of assault with a chopper at 75 Beach Road at 5.30 pm and found a woman with slash wounds at the scene.
The police had said earlier on Thursday evening that the man and the woman are believed to be known to each other, before updating in a later statement at night that the 41-year-old woman is believed to be the alleged assailant’s wife.
According to the statement, the victim was saved and taken conscious to the hospital while the suspect will be charged with attempted murder. The man has also been taken conscious to a hospital and a chopper has been seized, they added.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had slit his own wrists with a chopper, the police also said.
In an amateur video seen by 9News Nigeria Asian correspondent, the man with blood on his arms was seen brandishing a chopper knife and running around, and was later seen cutting his own wrists and neck.
A Singaporean man, known as Mr Lim, who runs an online media site in a nearby rented shophouse, had witnessed the incident with four colleagues from their unit on the third floor.
Recounting the incident, he said: “We heard a commotion and went to our toilet window to see what was happening,” said Mr Lim.
“It was really shocking and it felt surreal”, he said.
In another video, the man can be seen apparently attacking a woman, who had a bloodied face, with a chopper.
Onlookers attempted to stop him by throwing chairs, ladders and signboards at him.
According to the police account on Thursday night, several members had helped to prevent the man from further harming the victim.
Police officers who arrived at the scene then located the armed man in the vicinity and deployed a taser to subdue him.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Jeremy Ang, commander of the Central Police Division, said: “The police would like to commend the members of the public who had intervened to prevent the man from causing further harm to the woman.”
The 46-year-old man will be charged in court on Saturday with attempted murder under Section 307 of the Penal Code.
Those found guilty of the offence of attempted murder will be liable for life imprisonment, imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine, or both.
The police added that they are “aware of videos circulating online on the incident, and would like to urge members of the public to refrain from circulating the videos and speculating on the case”.
Singapore police investigations currently continuing with the investigation of the crime.
