Police Urge Public to Refrain from Unfounded Speculation
Regarding the case of a man in his 60s, identified as Mr. A, who killed his son with a homemade firearm in Songdo, Incheon, police have urged the public to refrain from spreading unfounded rumors online and elsewhere.
On July 22, Yonhap News Agency reported that a post titled "The Story of the Songdo Shooting Incident" was rapidly spreading across online communities.
Police lines have been set up at the residence of the suspect who fired a homemade gun in Incheon on the 21st, resulting in the death of a family member. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that the police special forces discovered and removed homemade explosives such as nitro and timers at the suspect's residence in Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul. Yonhap News Agency
The post concerns Mr. A (62), for whom an arrest warrant has been requested on charges including murder. It contains claims about Mr. A's motive for the crime, the reason for his divorce, and alleges that Mr. A is a naturalized Chinese citizen and that the deceased victim was his stepson. There are also claims that he is the same person as a man in his 60s who broke the windows of three neighboring apartments in Songdo, Incheon in 2023 by shooting steel balls with a slingshot.
Additionally, various rumors are spreading, such as that Mr. A killed his son due to conflict with his ex-wife, who is said to be a wealthy CEO of a well-known aesthetic (beauty) group. Detailed stories are also circulating in the form of so-called "jilasi," alleging that Mr. A committed the crime against the son cherished by his ex-wife after a long-standing conflict following their divorce 20 years ago.
In relation to these rumors, Mr. A reportedly told police during questioning that "there were family conflicts," but also said, "Don't try to find out," refusing to disclose specific motives for the crime.
A police official told Yonhap News Agency, "The investigation is not yet complete, but content that is either false or unverified is spreading online and elsewhere," adding, "Please refrain from making unfounded assumptions, as this could cause further pain to the bereaved family."
Previously, on July 20, Mr. A was accused of shooting and killing his son, Mr. B (33), with a homemade firearm on the 33rd floor of an apartment in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. At Mr. A's residence in Dobong-gu, Seoul, police also found 15 containers of flammable substances?including PET bottles, detergent bottles, and milk cartons filled with thinner?as well as ignition devices.
Currently, Mr. A continues to evade police questioning, repeatedly stating, "Don't try to find out," which is hampering the investigation. He also indicated that he would not attend the pretrial detention hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. that day at the Incheon District Court. However, it has been reported that Mr. A claimed he had planned to end his own life by going to the Han River or Misari after killing his son.
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