Man shot dead by Hong Kong police had ‘history of mental illness, drug abuse’
Security chief praises officers’ bravery, saying their decisiveness prevented suspect from causing further harm and potentially saved lives
A man shot dead by police after taking a woman hostage while brandishing a knife at a Hong Kong shopping centre on Thursday had a history of mental illness and drug abuse, and missed a medical consultation last week, the Post has learned.
The information emerged as security chief Chris Tang Ping-keung defended police over the “difficult decision to shoot” the 34-year-old man in Tuen Mun, while a relative of the deceased said officers could have aimed for his limbs to avoid killing him.
After officers fatally shot the man at Tuen Mun Town Plaza, Tang, the secretary for security, said the suspect was mentally unstable at the time and might have been influenced by drugs as suspected illegal substances were found in his possession.
“It is obvious that [the man] was acting insane at the time,” Tang told a radio programme on Friday, adding that the officers’ decision to act had stopped the suspect from hurting more residents and potentially saved lives.
“It was a very difficult decision to shoot, but they were very brave. They were very decisive and I think our regular training is highly relevant to it.”
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Hong Kong police shoot and kill man wielding knife in Tuen Mun
A source said the suspect had been hospitalised in the past, with a history of dissocial personality disorder and psychosis dating back to 2016. The source added that he was hospitalised three times in 2025 and skipped the latest medical appointment last Thursday.