Advertisement
China

Guangdong gunman arrested after 19-hour hostage-suicide drama

'Debt-strapped' man held kidnapped his alleged lenders before attempting to kill himself

Reading Time:1 minute
Why you can trust SCMP
An armed policeman stands guard at a crime scene. A suspect was arrested today after a stand-off with police. Photo: Reuters

A kidnapping suspect in Zhongshan city has been sent to hospital after an unsuccessful suicide attempt towards the end of a 19-hour-long stand-off with police, according to local police in Guangdong.

The suspect, surnamed Luo, went postal around 4.51 pm on Monday after engaging in a dispute with three men who demanded he pay back the money he allegedly owed them.

He then produced a self-made gun and held them hostage at a private residence, police said on their official Weibo account.

Advertisement

Luo eventually released two hostages and asked them to transfer 500,000 yuan (HK$627,000) to his bank account. The two men went straight to the police instead.

Hours into the ordeal, the third victim, a 44-year-old surnamed Chen, from Shantou, was able to escape when Luo showed signs of weariness. Chen was rescued by officers on Tuesday afternoon.

Advertisement

Chen sustained minor injuries including fractures to his foot and spine, according to police and reports.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x