Seoul: Fourteen individuals were injured in a stabbing spree near Seoul on Thursday evening. The suspect, identified as Choi, first rammed a vehicle into pedestrians outside of a store and then proceeded to attack shoppers inside the establishment. The store is connected to the busy Seohyeon Station, attracting numerous commuters and shoppers, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Out of the total injured, nine sustained wounds during the stabbing attack, while five were injured in the car crash. Thankfully, the police swiftly apprehended the suspect, and a drug test conducted on him yielded negative results.
According to the fire authorities, two of the wounded are currently in critical condition and are receiving intensive care treatment as of 6 a.m. on Friday, with concerns about potential brain death.
Further details revealed that a woman in her 20s was taken to a hospital in an unconscious state, and another woman in her 60s experienced cardiac arrest following the car crash, putting both at risk of brain damage, according to officials.
Among the three other individuals injured in the car crash, two sustained severe injuries to the knee and head, respectively, while the third victim received on-site treatment for a minor wound.
Regarding the nine stabbing victims, they suffered knife wounds in the abdomen, side, and back. Fortunately, three of them are now in stable condition after undergoing surgery. The conditions of the other five injured individuals were not immediately known.
One person was treated for a minor lacerated wound on the elbow.
Police are planning to conduct further questioning of Choi on Friday to ascertain the exact motive behind his crime and seek an arrest warrant for him. Additionally, authorities will investigate his mental health history and treatment to understand if any underlying issues contributed to the incident.