Stabbing Incident at Dongtan Lake Park, 40s Chinese Expat Arrested

A Chinese expatriate in his 40s was arrested by the police for wielding a weapon against citizens in the early hours at Dongtan Lake Park in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

The Hwaseong Dongtan Police Station announced on the 19th that they have urgently arrested Mr. A on charges of public intimidation and are currently investigating the case.

According to the police, Mr. A is accused of rushing at a group of five men and women in their 20s who were drinking at a bar deck near the lakeside shopping area of Dongtan Lake Park around 4:03 AM, threatening them with a weapon.

The victims scattered in different directions when Mr. A charged at them while holding the weapon.

Mr. A targeted a male victim, Mr. B, who reportedly entered the bar and held the entrance door to shield himself from the approaching Mr. A.

When unable to open the door, Mr. A momentarily faced off with Mr. B, then chased after one of Mr. B's other companions. Faced with the unfavorable situation, he fled on a kickboard. The police, responding to the report, immediately launched an operation to apprehend Mr. A.

With quick police response preventing additional harm

The Hwaseong Dongtan Police deployed dozens of available personnel, including local police officers from district units and neighborhood police stations as well as detectives from the criminal and women/youth departments, to search the Dongtan Lake Park area.

The police succeeded in urgently arresting Mr. A around 4:39 AM, about 30 minutes after receiving the report.

Mr. A attempted to escape on his kickboard but was blocked by an officer nearby, fell over, and was apprehended.

At the time of his arrest, Mr. A was found to be in possession of three bladed weapons.

The police stated that "Mr. A was intoxicated and not in a condition to be questioned" and noted that he is a legal resident, although his occupation has not been verified. They also mentioned that he had no prior acquaintances among the victims.

A police spokesperson indicated, "This incident could have escalated into a larger crisis, such as a stabbing spree against an indiscriminate number of people," adding, "The swift arrest operation helped prevent additional harm."

As recent incidents of weapon attacks in public places have increased, public anxiety is growing.

The police plan to investigate Mr. A's exact motive and circumstances surrounding the crime while also strengthening patrols in public areas. They specifically plan to enhance police presence in nightlife districts and parks during nighttime hours to focus on preventing similar incidents.

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