33 months’ jail for man shot by police following rampage in Clementi
A recalcitrant offender who was shot by a police officer in Clementi after going on a rampage was sentenced to two years and nine months’ jail on Wednesday.
Soo Cheow Wee, 50, pleaded guilty in September to two counts of criminal intimidation.
He also admitted to one count each of voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant and using a knife to assault a man.
Before he went on a rampage on Feb 17, Soo, who had been in and out of jail for drug abuse and violence-related offences, went to Geylang where he consumed diazepam – used to treat anxiety disorders – and cough syrup without a prescription.
He then went to his mother’s flat in Clementi and called the police, saying: “Someone wants to kill me and my mother.”
Soo left the unit with a knife and claimed that a voice had told him to randomly target passers-by to slash.
Mr Wong Wei Jie, 41, was out on a stroll at around 8.40pm when he spotted Soo behaving suspiciously in the vicinity.
Mr Wong was near Soo when the older man suddenly took out the knife and swung it towards Mr Wong’s head. Mr Wong used his hand to block the attack, and Soo used the weapon to slash the victim’s hand.
Mr Wong managed to get away by running towards a nearby supermarket.
Soo later flagged down a taxi and told the driver, Mr Goh Wui Teck, 61, that he wanted to go to Clementi Police Division.
They were nearing the police headquarters when Soo opened the left rear passenger door and tried to alight while the taxi was still moving.
Mr Goh stopped the vehicle and Soo fell on the road. When Mr Goh alighted, Soo charged at him, brandishing the knife. The taxi driver managed to run away.
Soo then approached the entrance of Clementi Police Division, shouting incoherently.
He suddenly charged at one officer, a 20-year-old man whose name and rank were redacted from court documents.
The policeman fired his service revolver at Soo, who fell to the ground after the round struck his left arm.
Soo was arrested and taken to National University Hospital.
In an earlier, unrelated incident on June 9, 2019, Soo, who had walked out of Kampong Java Neighbourhood Police Centre at around 6pm after being released on bail for drug-related offences, returned to the guardhouse to speak to two auxiliary police officers on duty at the time.
He told the officers, including Sergeant Saini Karim, 51, that he had to return to the police lock-up as there were purportedly people outside who wanted to kill him.
Soo tried to enter the premises through a gantry before punching Sgt Saini’s face three times.
Soo was arrested and later admitted that he had consumed cough syrup without a prescription.
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