Hong Kong police round up 8 suspects over murder of elderly man in Yuen Long knife attack
- Police say two men charged with murder over killing of 70-year-old in March as he walked to work in Yuen Long
- One of the men, alongside two others, also charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, force adds
Hong Kong police have rounded up eight residents in connection with the murder of an elderly man during a knife attack in the New Territories last month, the force said on Wednesday.
The seven men and a woman, aged between 23 and 65, were picked up in a series of raids on Monday, four weeks after the 70-year-old man was killed in Yuen Long.
According to the force, two of the men, aged 32 and 65, were charged with murder.
One of the pair and another two men from the group were also charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, according to police.
The four men appeared at Tuen Mun Court in the afternoon, with the other three suspects released on bail pending further investigation, police said.
As of Wednesday evening, the remaining suspect was still being held for questioning.
Acting Superintendent So Chi-bing of the organised crime and triad bureau declined to reveal the motive behind the killing and the roles of the suspects involved in the murder as legal proceedings were ongoing.
The force said the victim was ambushed on Yuen Long On Lok Road at about 3.30am on March 29 while on his way to work.
The investigation showed a white car stopped in the area about 15 minutes before the incident, with an assailant leaving the vehicle to attack the victim with a knife, So said.
He added that police believed that several people in another car parked nearby had coordinated the attack and acted as lookouts. Both vehicles quickly left the scene after the incident.
Hong Kong police search city for attackers after knife murder of elderly man
The victim was taken to Pok Oi Hospital in Yuen Long, where he was declared dead at 4.54am, So said.
“An initial postmortem examination showed the victim suffered eight knife wounds to the limbs and there were no apparent injuries to the skull and torso,” he said.
So said the cause of death was believed to be significant loss of blood. Further examinations, including a toxicological test, would be carried out, he added.
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He said that during Monday’s raids officers had seized clothes the suspects were wearing at the time of the attack, as well as the mobile phones they used during the incident.
Officers also discovered a weapons cache comprising nine knives and a hammer, alongside four black caps, three windbreakers and some gloves at a flat in Yuen Long.
Police also seized three vehicles as part of their investigation.
The force said inquiries were ongoing and further arrests were possible.
