Update | Gunman Li Tak-yan had a history of attacking neighbours
Source reveals killer was jailed for previous chopper assault as police search for clues behind fatal shooting of fellow estate resident
A jobless ex-convict who shot himself dead yesterday 12 hours after allegedly killing a resident of his public housing estate had previously been jailed for wounding another neighbour.
Police were investigating gunman Li Tak-yan's background and looking for any links to Liu Kai-chung, 43, who was fatally shot late on Saturday night. A police source said there was no indication the two men knew each other.
Liu was found in the lift lobby near his home on the 21st floor of Lok Ching House on the Kai Ching Estate in Kowloon Bay. Li, 51, lived 11 floors below.
The shooting sparked a 12-hour drama, which ended when elite police used stun grenades and tear gas to storm Li's flat. They found him fatally wounded with a gun by his side.
A police source said mental health issues were among the lines of investigation. "At this stage, a mental problem is one of the possibilities, " the source said.
The latest drama began at about 11.20pm on Saturday when residents on the 21st floor heard arguing followed by three gunshots. Liu was shot twice in the chest and once in the back. Three empty 7.62mm cartridges were found at the scene.