Man arrested following Hong Kong hotel assault classified as murder
Hotel staff reported incident at around 6.30am on Friday after finding woman unconscious in a room, police say
Hong Kong police have arrested a 42-year-old man in connection with a hotel-room assault on a woman who was found unconscious and later died in hospital, with the case later reclassified as murder.
The force said on Saturday that hotel staff reported the case at around 6.30am on Friday after discovering the woman unconscious in one of the rooms.
“Police officers sped to the scene and found the 46-year-old woman lying on a chair,” police said. “Sustaining injuries to her face, she was rushed to Kwong Wah Hospital in an unconscious state and was certified dead at 5.23pm on the same day.”
They added that initial investigations revealed the woman, surnamed Chan, was allegedly assaulted with a hard object, and the attacker fled the scene. Police had earlier noted that the victim had a bruise on her face.
Police arrested the 42-year-old man in Mong Kok on Friday on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The motive for the attack was not immediately clear.
A source said the man and woman were friends, adding the incident took place at the Royal Plaza Hotel on Prince Edward Road West in Mong Kok.