Changwon Motel Stabbing Suspect Threatened Another Woman with Weapon Before the Attack

Visited Ex-Girlfriend with a Weapon

It has been revealed that the suspect in the motel stabbing rampage that occurred in Changwon, Gyeongnam Province, earlier this month visited the home of another woman in her 20s with a weapon just hours before committing the crime. At the time, the police accompanied him voluntarily but released him without taking any further action, which has sparked controversy.

According to Yonhap News Agency on the 30th, the suspect, a man in his 20s identified as A, visited the residence of a woman in her 20s, B, with whom he had been in a relationship, at around 11:55 a.m. on the day of the Changwon Masanhoewon-gu Hapjeong-dong motel murder on the 3rd. Startled by his appearance, B fled to a nearby administrative welfare center and asked for help in reporting to the police.

The police identified A, who was wandering the streets, and voluntarily accompanied him for questioning on charges of making special threats. However, A denied the allegations, and after about two hours of investigation, the police sent him home, stating that he did not meet the requirements for being caught in the act or for an emergency arrest.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, a police cordon was set up on the stairs of a motel in Hapjeong-dong, Masanhoewon-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam Province. Photo by Yonhap News

It was found that A had met B through a social networking service (SNS), and that they decided to break up that morning while continuing their relationship. Shortly after, A purchased a weapon, soju, and charcoal briquettes at a mart before going to B’s residence. During the police investigation, he claimed, "I bought these items to go camping."

The police, after locating and confiscating the weapon, discovered during the voluntary questioning that A was under probation. However, they did not inform the probation office about the threats or the related report that occurred that day.

Subsequently, A purchased another weapon and other items at a nearby mart and, later that afternoon, attacked three male and female middle school students with a weapon at a motel in Hapjeong-dong, Masanhoewon-gu, Changwon-si, killing two of them and seriously injuring one. Immediately after the incident, A jumped from the motel building and died.

In September 2019, he had also been brought to trial on charges of having sexual intercourse with a minor and was sentenced in July 2021 to five years in prison and five years of public disclosure and notification of personal information for rape. After being released, A committed this crime during his repeat offender period and reportedly did not actually reside at the address listed on the "Sex Offender Notification e" system during his probation period.