Suspect in Siheung Weapon Incident: "I Committed the Crime Out of Anger... I Don't Know Why I Was Angry"

"I don't know why I was angry"
Diagnosed with a mental illness last year

Yonhap News

In Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, a man in his 30s reportedly stated that he committed the murders out of anger after fatally stabbing his stepbrother, with whom he lived, and a convenience store employee in the neighborhood.

On the 19th, the Siheung Police announced that they plan to transfer Mr. A (35), who was arrested on suspicion of murder, to the Ansan branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office on the 20th. Mr. A is accused of stabbing his stepbrother Mr. B at their home in Siheung City at around 6:50 p.m. on the 12th. He is also charged with injuring his mother's hand while she tried to intervene.

About 10 minutes after the first attack, Mr. A walked for two minutes to a nearby convenience store, where he stabbed a woman in her 20s, Ms. C, multiple times, killing her. Ms. C was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest but ultimately passed away at 8:50 p.m. the following day. The police responded to a witness report and arrested Mr. A as a suspect at around 7:55 p.m. on the day of the incident while he was wandering the streets.

On the afternoon of the 14th, notes with memorial messages, chrysanthemum bouquets, and snacks were placed in front of a convenience store in Siheung-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News, Mr. A told the police during questioning, "I did it because I was very angry," adding, "I don't know why I was angry," thereby acknowledging the charges. He also said he "does not clearly remember" the details of the crime. Furthermore, police investigations of Mr. A's acquaintances revealed that he had no significant conflicts with Mr. B, that the convenience store he visited after killing Mr. B was not a usual place he frequented, and that he had no prior acquaintance with Ms. C.

The police suspect that Mr. A was diagnosed with a mental illness in April last year and was hospitalized but discharged after only a few days. He took medication for about a month but stopped on his own, leading to a deterioration of his condition. A police official stated, "It appears that Mr. A suddenly lost control emotionally and committed the crime," adding, "He says he does not remember the detailed circumstances of the incident."