Fugitive Escapes Before Prosecutors' Eyes... "Can't Move as They Stage a Hostage Situation"

Fugitive Threatens Lover with Weapon While Fleeing
Fugitive Runs, Prosecutors Walk... Captured on CCTV

The prosecution lost sight of a wanted fugitive they had been pursuing for four months right before their eyes. Despite knowing that the fugitive was in a motel with a woman, the prosecution attempted the arrest without any protective measures for the woman and ended up letting the fugitive go after a hostage situation.

According to the prosecution and police on the 11th, around 8:37 p.m. on the 9th, wanted fugitive A (in his 50s) fled in a taxi with his girlfriend, woman B, from a motel on the 7th floor of a commercial building in Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.

When four prosecution investigators from the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office burst into the motel room where A was staying, he threatened B with a weapon and escaped outside the building.

The prosecution investigators in the hallway outside the motel room only watched from about 2 meters away as A, holding a weapon, came out of the motel room with B.

A grabbed B’s arm and ran in the opposite direction of the investigators. The investigators walked toward the direction A ran and caught the elevator that B boarded. After a 30-second standoff with the investigators, A fled through the emergency stairway and exited the building.

This scene was fully captured on the building’s CCTV. A motel staff member said, "Because he threatened them with a weapon, the investigators hesitated and couldn’t do anything," adding, "It was such a futile escape that other guests didn’t even realize a hostage situation was happening."

Regarding this, detectives in charge of violent crimes said, "In a similar case, they would have tried to separate B to prepare for an unexpected situation," and, "Before the arrest, they would have tried various methods, such as calling one of the two out through the motel owner." They also said, "Alternatively, they would have quickly entered after getting the room key and subdued the fugitive to prevent any other actions," and, "Usually, personnel are also stationed around the building to prepare."

A prosecution official said about the incident, "We really worked hard for months tracking down his whereabouts," but admitted, "The arrest process at the scene was not the best."

A was arrested and indicted last August on charges including fraud but was released after being granted a three-month suspension of detention for hospital treatment. However, after this period passed, he did not return to prison, leading the prosecution to issue a wanted notice.

B visited the motel around 1 p.m. the day after the incident to collect belongings such as her mobile phone and was taken into custody by police who had been called for cooperation. After police questioning, B was released, and the prosecution and police plan to continue tracking A while investigating whether B assisted A’s escape.