Suspect and victim in fatal Clementi stabbing were grassroots volunteers

The two men were involved in grassroots activities of the Trivelis Residents’ Network, which serves the Trivelis estate in Clementi Avenue 4.

But in the late afternoon on Oct 21, shouts and screams shattered the peace of the estate as one of the men, a 50-year-old, attacked the other man, a 41-year-old.

The latter was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he died, and the suspect was arrested.

They were residents of the estate.

The suspect was caught on video chasing the victim from the pick-up point between blocks 311B and 311C. The pickup point is directly in front of the Trivelis Residents’ Network office at the foot of Block 311B.

The victim, who The Straits Times understands to be Mr Winson Khoo, had tripped near the drain about 20m away from the office when the suspect allegedly attacked him.

A woman, believed to be Mr Khoo’s wife, screamed during the assault as he lay on the ground.

Together with a parking attendant, she had tried to prise the suspect off her husband, but to no avail.

There was also someone shouting for people to call the police.

As Mr Khoo lay on the ground in a pool of his blood, cries of “sorry, sorry” could be heard in the clip.

Residents said the attacker later turned his attention to the woman, chasing her as she fled screaming.

They said she sought refuge in a pre-school at Block 311C.

The suspect then walked to his black car at the pickup point and drove into the multi-storey carpark where he allegedly reversed repeatedly into another car.

He was stopped as he was driving out of the carpark and arrested by the police.

Other residents said a medical worker, a resident who was on her way home, rushed forward to help Mr Khoo.

Videos shared with ST by the residents show her still in her uniform, performing chest compressions on him.

Residents said both men were familiar faces in the estate, with Mr Khoo often going door to door as part of grassroots activities.

Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported that he was the vice-chairman of the Trivelis Residents’ Network, and the suspect was also involved in grassroots activities.

Staff at the office declined to comment when approached by ST on Oct 22.

On the evening of Oct 21, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Sim Ann was briefed by police officers within the police cordon between blocks 311B and 311C.

She also comforted an elderly couple crying at the scene.

She later posted on Facebook, saying that she had met the family of the victim and offered them support.

When ST went to Mr Khoo’s home on Oct 22, two women who had been crying came to the door.

The family declined to comment and requested privacy, saying they were still coming to terms with his death.