Woman seriously injured in knife attack in Hougang
A man has been arrested following a knife attack in Hougang which left one female employee of a hardware store gravely injured, and the store manager with cut wounds.
The attacker, who is said to be a deliveryman, was also injured in the incident which happened at Block 210 Hougang Street 21.
Witnesses said a loud argument broke out on Dec 10 at about 11am at the Quan Long Nippon Paint hardware store, which is located next to Kovan Market and Food Centre, just before the incident.
The man, who owners of shops located nearby said has been spotted making deliveries to the hardware store, was heard arguing with the female employee.
He then pulled out a knife in front of shoppers and waved it around. The store manager wrestled with the man and was injured in the process.
The woman tried to run but fell to the floor before the man used the knife on her repeatedly. According to witnesses, she suffered multiple cuts to her back.
The attacker also suffered injuries in the incident.
Witnesses said paramedics were at the scene minutes later, while heavily armed police officers quickly secured the area.
All three were taken to hospital, with the attacker escorted by police officers.
Police had cordoned off the hardware store and the adjacent fruit stall and jewellery shop when The Straits Times arrived at around 2pm.
A woman in her 60s working at a nearby department store said she heard a loud argument just before the incident.
“We then heard a woman screaming, and some people went to see what was going on,” said the woman, who declined to be named.
“They came back quickly and told everyone to hide in the store because there was a man with a knife.”
She said staff and several customers of a department store then hid inside the shop until the police came.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said they conveyed two persons to Changi General Hospital and another person to Sengkang General Hospital after receiving a call for assistance at about 11.05am.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now