'He has a knife. Run away!': Witnesses recount mayhem during Incheon stabbing spree that left eight injured

Witnesses recounted scenes of panic after a man with a knife strapped to his hand attacked people at a shopping complex in Guwol-dong, Namdong District, Incheon, at 1:49 p.m. on Tuesday, leaving eight injured. Shop owners described the suspect stabbing people as he moved up through the building from the basement, not stopping until he was subdued by civilians before police arrested him at the scene. 

The man, who served four years in prison for attempting to murder his ex-wife, was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the attack.

In February 2015, the suspect attempted to kill his ex-wife by stabbing her at an apartment in Bupyeong District, Incheon. He was also under police investigation for possession of a weapon after allegedly using the weapon to punch holes in a protest sign while staging a one-person demonstration outside a dermatology clinic in Gyeyang District, Incheon, in September.

Despite the criminal record and ongoing police investigation, another violent attack took place on Tuesday.

"I heard screams coming from the second floor [of the shopping complex], so I went to check and saw two men defending themselves with chairs," a merchant at the complex said. "The suspect was moving between floors and attacking people with a knife, so I shouted, 'He has a knife. Run away.'"

Merchants said the suspect had been wandering around the building for about an hour before the attack.

"The man was walking around the first floor and asked to use the restroom, but the restroom was closed, so he went up to the second floor," another merchant said.

The building's management employee said that "He had a knife tied to his hand and attacked people as he made his way up through the building, starting from the basement."

The suspect was later subdued by two shop owners at the complex and arrested by police who responded to the scene.

Bloodstains remained scattered across the floor of the second floor food court where the attack took place. Three employees of a household goods retailer who had gone there for a late lunch were among those stabbed.

The victims suffered injuries to various parts of their bodies, including cuts to the chest and stab wounds to the shoulders. One victim was also found to have suffered a wrist contusion.

CCTV footage obtained by the JoongAng Ilbo showed the suspect, dressed in a blue hiking jacket and jeans, running up behind a female restaurant employee and stabbing her repeatedly. Other employees were seen chasing after him while holding trays and other objects to fend him off.

"He had gone up to the fourth-floor movie theater and was coming back down when he fell and started bleeding, and someone threw me a chair," said an owner of a ssambap (rice and vegetable wraps) restaurant surnamed Shin, who helped subdue the suspect. "I dragged him down to the third floor along the escalator and pinned him down with my foot."

Several bladed weapons, including knives and scissors, were reportedly found in the suspect's bag. Witnesses also reported seeing him drop a white envelope containing around 40 banknotes worth 50,000 won ($37) each.

The suspect reportedly told police during questioning that he had taken medication at the time of the attack. Police plan to request an analysis by relevant authorities to determine whether the substances he took were psychotropic drugs.

The Ministry of Justice said the suspect had been receiving counseling for alcohol addiction and psychological issues to help alleviate symptoms of mental illness. He had met with a probation officer earlier Tuesday morning and undergone a medication compliance check as part of his mental health treatment. He reportedly had taken his prescribed medication.

Fire authorities set up an emergency medical station at the scene at around 2:12 p.m. to respond to the multiple casualties, provide first aid and transport the injured to hospitals.

The woman who was taken to the hospital unconscious underwent emergency surgery at a hospital in Namdong District and was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.

"My daughter had quit her job and was attending a private academy," the victim's father said at the hospital. "I want to see the attacker's face. I feel like I could kill him."

The Justice Ministry apologized for the attack involving a suspect who was subject to electronic monitoring.

"We deeply apologize for the concern caused by this stabbing attack involving an individual subject to electronic monitoring," the Justice Ministry said. "We are thoroughly investigating the circumstances of the incident and the entire electronic monitoring and supervision process."

Acting National Police Agency Commissioner General Kim Jong-chul convened an emergency video conference with the heads of provincial and metropolitan police agencies nationwide following the attack and visited the scene to review the police response.

Police are investigating the attack as a possible crime driven by an unclear or unusual motive and plan to determine the suspect's exact motive, how he obtained the weapons and whether he had taken psychotropic drugs.

BY SPECIAL REPORTING TEAM [[email protected]]