Police Apply for Arrest Warrant
A man in his 50s has been arrested after going to a fire station, wielding an axe and causing a disturbance out of dissatisfaction with a firefighter who had responded to a fire scene.
On the 20th, the Gimje Police Station in North Jeolla Province applied for an arrest warrant for a man in his 50s, identified only as Mr. A, on charges of obstructing the execution of special official duties. The previous day, at around 8:00 a.m., Mr. A allegedly went in person to a 119 Safety Center in Gimje and threatened firefighters while holding an axe.
Police officers dispatched in response to a report arrested Mr. A in the act. Fortunately, he did not swing the axe, and no casualties among firefighters or others, nor any property damage, were reported.
According to the police investigation, on the 12th firefighters had been dispatched to the scene after receiving a fire report from a resident saying, "A container is on fire." At the time, it was confirmed that Mr. A had been burning miscellaneous items with a gas torch. The firefighters used fire extinguishers to put out the flames, and in the process, some of the dry chemical extinguishing agent was sprayed onto a container owned by Mr. A that was nearby. It is reported that Mr. A then demanded that the firefighters clean off the powder.
The police believe that Mr. A committed the crime out of resentment over this issue. He is said to have stated to this effect, "I was angry because the firefighters did not clean the powder off the container after extinguishing the fire."
The police explained that they applied for an arrest warrant because they saw a risk of retaliation or reoffending.
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