Hong Kong actor Simon Yam Tat-wah returns to Hong Kong after knife attack in southern China
- 64-year-old suffered minor damage to his internal organs but is now in a stable condition, management company says
- Actor was attending the opening of a building materials store in Guangdong province when he was attacked by a man wielding a knife
Hong Kong actor Simon Yam Tat-wah has returned to Hong Kong after undergoing surgery for wounds sustained during a knife attack on Saturday morning while he was attending a promotional event in southern China.
The 64-year-old was a guest at the opening of a new Beijing Easyhome store in the city of Zhongshan, Guangdong province, when an assailant rushed at him wielding a knife.
He arrived in Hong Kong late Saturday night and was admitted to Adventist Hospital.
Zhongshan police on Saturday evening identified the suspect as a 53-year-old local resident surnamed Chen, who they said had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was detained at the scene. A fruit knife was used in the attack, which left Yam with a 2cm-wide, 3cm-deep gash to his abdomen and an injured hand, the statement said.
His management company, Emperor Entertainment Group, said earlier that Yam had undergone surgery in a Zhongshan hospital and was recovering.
“The knife wound to his abdominal area caused minor damage to his internal organs which has been repaired,” it said. “The injuries to his right hand have also been treated. He is resting and in a stable condition.”
According to an earlier police statement, Yam was stabbed by a man at 10.17am on Saturday while attending a promotional event in the Huoju district of Zhongshan.
In video footage posted on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, the actor is seen speaking to the hosts of the event and handing out gifts to various guests as they are called to the stage.
But as Yam holds out his hand to greet a man dressed in a dark vest and jeans, the attacker pulls out a knife and lunges at him, stabbing and slashing repeatedly at the actor.
Martial arts hero Sammo Hung outraged by Simon Yam knife attack
The attack continues for several seconds as security guards and bystanders rush to intervene. After a scuffle, the man is subdued and led away.
The footage shows Yam is clearly distressed by the attack and can be seen holding his hands to his stomach.
In a separate clip, also posted on social media, the actor can be heard saying to an associate: “Let’s get to the hospital, to the hospital.”
Mo said that Yam never lost consciousness during the attack, but the incident had alarmed everyone who witnessed it.
“I understand the management of Easyhome is panicking and waiting to hear back from Zhongshan public security for an update,” he said earlier.
Yam’s management company denounced the attack and said it would take action against the perpetrator.
Beijing Easyhome wholesales home furnishings and building materials.
In one of his highest-profile roles, Yam played the villain Chen Lo in the 2003 Hollywood sequel Lara Croft: Tomb Raider –The Cradle of Life.
