Update | Alleged gunman Li Tak-yan was lonely, volatile but not mentally ill, court heard in 2012
Reports during trial for knife attack found Li had difficulty controlling his emotions and dealing with stress, but was not at high risk of committing another violent offence
Alleged Kowloon Bay gunman Li Tak-yan was a lonely person who had difficulty controlling his emotions and dealing with stress, but was not mentally ill, according to reports submitted to the court that convicted him two years ago of attacking a neighbour with a knife.
While a District Court judge described Li's behaviour as “abnormal”, a psychologist found the risk of Li committing another violent offence was “not high”. He was jailed for a year.
On August 1, 2011, Li was jobless, divorced and living alone in the Long Bin temporary housing estate in Yuen Long. A neighbour leaving his apartment with his girlfriend found Li talking to himself in a corridor.
The court heard that Li had followed the couple downstairs to the building’s car park, where he quarrelled with them. When the neighbour tried to take a photo of him, Li took a knife from his bag and slashed at the neighbours hand. Li later said noise from the victim’s apartment had disturbed his sleep.
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A psychological report prepared for his trial said Li was a “lonely person with poor skills in handling stress”. The psychologist’s assessment was that Li had committed the offence because he found it difficult to control his emotions.