Female police officer dismissed for poor response to 'Incheon stabbing rampage' admits charges

First Trial Held for Two Former Police Officers
Another Denies 'Dereliction of Duty'

Two former police officers who were dismissed for inadequate response during a stabbing rampage incident in Incheon in 2021 appeared in court for the first time. They showed different stances regarding the charges of dereliction of duty.

On the 17th, Yonhap News reported that the first trial was held for former police officer A (25, female) and former police sergeant B (49, male), who were indicted on charges of dereliction of duty, presided over by Judge Lee Ju-young of the Criminal Division 17 at the Incheon District Court. In court, A’s defense attorney stated, "We admit the charges," while B’s defense attorney denied the charges, saying, "Legally, the crime of dereliction of duty does not apply." Furthermore, B’s defense attorney said, "There are some differences in the facts, so we hope to verify them during the evidence investigation process."

The appearance of police officers who responded to the inter-floor noise stabbing incident in Incheon in November 2021 [Image source=Yonhap News]

When the judge asked for confirmation of their occupations, former police officer A said she was "unemployed," and former police sergeant B said he was "working as a security guard."

On that day, the prosecutor pointed out regarding the charges, "Although the defendants had a Taser, an extendable baton, and a firearm at the time of the incident, they did not properly protect the victim," and explained, "They derelicted their duties as police officers without justifiable reason."

Former police officer A and former police sergeant B were indicted without detention for inadequately responding when they were dispatched to the scene of a stabbing rampage incident that occurred on November 15, 2021, at a villa in Namdong-gu, Incheon. The incident arose from a noise conflict between the upper and lower floors, where Mr. C (50, male), who lived upstairs, inflicted injuries on three members of the family living downstairs.

Former police officer A and former police sergeant B left the scene without stopping Mr. C, who was wielding a weapon against a woman in her 40s living downstairs, or protecting the victim. As a result, the victim was stabbed in the neck by the weapon Mr. C wielded, lost consciousness, and underwent major surgery. The victim’s husband, who intervened to stop the perpetrator instead of the police, sustained an injury to the ligament in his right hand, and the victim’s daughter also suffered severe facial injuries. Mr. C, who was indicted on attempted murder charges, was sentenced to 22 years in prison last May.

Former police officer A claimed during the police investigation, "When I saw the blood spurting (after the victim was stabbed), I went into a 'blackout' state," and former police sergeant B said, "I went outside (the building) thinking I needed to use the radio to request reinforcements."

After the incident, former police officer A and former police sergeant B were dismissed for violating their duty of sincerity. They also filed appeals against their dismissal. Subsequently, the Appeal Review Committee under the Ministry of Personnel Management dismissed their appeals. However, they filed a lawsuit last August against the Incheon Police Agency chief seeking cancellation of their dismissal, arguing that the dismissal was an excessively harsh punishment.