Hong Kong police shoot and kill man wielding 30cm knife in Tuen Mun
Police say officers on scene at Tuen Mun Town Plaza shopping centre had no choice but to shoot man to save passer-by
Hong Kong police have shot and killed a man who brandished a 30cm knife at a shopping centre in Tuen Mun, with the force saying the officers involved had no choice but to open fire to save a passer-by.
The tragedy unfolded around 7pm on Thursday near Tuen Mun Town Hall on Tuen Wui Road.
Police said the 34-year-old man killed was a Hong Kong identity card holder. They said preliminary information from his family pointed to a history of mental illness, although authorities were still seeking to confirm that.
The man could also have been under the influence of drugs, police said. Officers found a retractable baton and a packet of suspected illegal drugs in his bag, they said.
The man, who had a triad background, also had a criminal record that included drug-related offences, the force added.
Security camera footage and video clips taken by passers-by purportedly showing the incident have been circulating online, including one in which a man in a white tracksuit is seen carrying a knife entering the Tuen Mun Town Plaza mall.
Another shows a man in the same clothing entering a kitchen and calmly grabbing a knife from a counter, while a confused worker looks on. The caption said the video was taken inside the Don Don Donki store in Tuen Mun.