Bereaved Family: "No Legal Action Planned"
Police: "Conclusion Will Be Reached After Comprehensive Review"
There is growing attention on whether the case in which a suspect wielded a weapon against police officers in Gwangju and was subsequently shot and killed by police will be recognized as self-defense.
At around 3:10 a.m. on the 26th of last month, Officer A was stabbed and collapsed after being attacked with a weapon by Mr. B, a man in his 50s, in an alley in Geumnamro, Dong-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Yonhap News
The Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 7th that it has completed the factual investigation into the death of A (51), the suspect in the police assault case, and is currently reviewing the appropriateness of the response, with secondary opinions from the National Forensic Service and firearm analysis still pending.
On the morning of the 26th of last month at around 3:10 a.m., A attacked police officers with a weapon near the Geumnamno 4-ga intersection in Dong-gu, Gwangju, after they responded to a 112 emergency call, and was shot and killed. At the time, the police warned A to put down the weapon, but A attacked Inspector B twice. To subdue A, Officer C fired a taser, but it was ineffective due to A’s thick coat.
Ultimately, Inspector B responded by firing a blank and then live ammunition. A was shot and transported to the hospital but died. Inspector B, who suffered severe injuries to the face and forehead, is also receiving treatment at the hospital.
The National Forensic Service announced that the first cause of death for A was "massive internal bleeding caused by gunshot wounds" based on the autopsy results. Two gunshot wounds were found on A’s body; one bullet remained inside, damaging major organs, while the other had passed through.
The use of force by police is divided into five levels, with the use of firearms permitted only as a last resort when there is a serious threat to the officer or a third party. Police believe that they had no choice but to use live ammunition after A injured officers with a weapon and could not be subdued by a taser or blank rounds.
The executive board of the workplace council affiliated with the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency stated, "Although it is unfortunate that the suspect died, this occurred in the course of legitimate official duties."
The bereaved family told police investigators that "A had been suffering from a mental illness for some time" and expressed, "We are saddened that the police officer was injured and hope for a swift recovery." So far, the family has not sought legal responsibility from the police.
A police official said, "If the suspect's death is recognized as self-defense, the issue of occupational negligence resulting in death will not lead to charges," adding, "A comprehensive review will be conducted before reaching a conclusion."
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