At least 13 people were left injured in a shocking incident when a man deliberately rammed his car onto a sidewalk and then proceeded to stab pedestrians near a subway station in the city of Seongnam. The violent attack has rattled the community, with authorities investigating the motives behind this heinous act.
According to Yoon Sung-hyun, an official from the southern Gyeonggi provincial police department, at least nine people were stabbed, and four others were injured by the vehicle. While the police did not confirm the seriousness of the injuries, the Newsis agency reported that at least one victim succumbed to the injuries sustained in the attack.
An unidentified suspect was arrested at the scene and is currently being questioned by the authorities. In response to this tragic incident, the National Police Agency has called for an online meeting with regional police chiefs to discuss measures to tackle such random and violent attacks.
Police Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun stated that the authorities are treating the incident as a “terror act” and emphasised that it was an indiscriminate attack on civilians. However, he did not disclose any further details regarding the perpetrator’s motives.
This disturbing event comes only a few days after another rare stabbing attack in Seoul on July 21, where one person was killed, and three others were wounded. In that case, a knife-wielding man stabbed at least four pedestrians on a street in the South Korean capital. A man in his 30s, with an unspecified criminal record, was arrested in connection with the attack, and the motivation behind it remains unclear.
As the investigations into these attacks continue, the authorities are urging vigilance and caution among the public. The sudden and tragic nature of such incidents underscores the need for comprehensive measures to ensure public safety and prevent further harm. The communities affected are grappling with shock and grief as they come to terms with the senseless violence that has befallen their streets.
