Six injured in chopper attack by mentally ill man
Police reinforcements called to subdue armed, mentally ill man after he slashes officers and paramedic in his family flat in Western district
A constable drew his revolver to stop a mentally ill man from attacking a paramedic with a chopper amid a violent rampage in a family flat yesterday that left six people injured.
A police sergeant, two constables and the paramedic rushed to the flat in Western district in response to a call from the 32-year-old man's mother after he locked himself in a bedroom and refused to take his medicine or see a doctor.
While the officers were talking to the man's parents, both in their sixties, he burst out of the bedroom and began attacking the police with a chopper.
"The sergeant and one of his colleagues were chopped in the attack, and they were forced to evacuate the flat and call in reinforcements," an officer said.
After the sergeant, who suffered head wounds, and the constable, who sustained arm and shoulder injuries, retreated, the remaining officer took the man's mother to an empty room for her safety.
He then spotted her son threatening the paramedic with the chopper. "The constable ran out of the bedroom and drew his gun, issuing warnings to the suspect," the officer said.