Tragic Stabbing Rampage in Seongnam
Under the usually tranquil afternoon sky, an eerie calm hung over Seohyeon Station in Gyeonggi Province yesterday. Police officials could be seen marshaling the scene after a horrific stabbing spree unfolded in the heart of Seongnam, a bustling city situated just on the outskirts of Seoul.
A sudden wave of terror crashed onto the city as an unidentified man in his twenties, known only by his last name - Choi, barrelled his car onto a sidewalk. This was quickly followed by a violent stabbing frenzy inside a nearby department store.
The phone call to the police came in around 5:59 p.m., reporting the horrifying events unfolding within the vicinity of Seohyeon subway station. Within an impressively swift span of five minutes, law enforcement officials had detained the suspect, who's reportedly employed in the delivery sector.
The bloody onslaught left fourteen individuals injured, with victims ranging in ages from their twenties to seventies. Out of these, nine were the unfortunate recipients of Choi's blade, eight of them suffering critical wounds. Meanwhile, five others bore the brunt of his vehicular assault, with two individuals sustaining severe injuries.
In the aftermath of the incident, Choi's words to the police painted a picture of delusion and paranoia. He rambled about an 'unidentified group' trying to assassinate him through a contract killer. Preliminary testing ruled out the presence of drugs or alcohol in his system, but further tests, including hair sample analysis and mental health record checks, are being conducted by the National Forensic Service.
Eyewitness accounts painted a chilling image of the attacker, donned in a dark ensemble and sunglasses, waving a knife estimated at about 50 to 60 centimeters long. When his car finally came to a halt, he stormed into the department store and the carnage ensued.
Despite some bystanders suggesting the involvement of multiple perpetrators, the police confirmed that Choi acted alone.
The National Police Agency Commissioner General, Yoon Hee-keun, labelled the shocking incident as an "act of terror". He also pledged to heighten police presence in crowded areas and improve surveillance via security cameras. The police chief also emphasized the need for increased public visibility of law enforcement in public spaces, to allay fears triggered by a recent spate of violent incidents.
The terrifying event follows the brutal stabbing of four men by a 33-year-old named Cho Seon near Seoul's Sillim Station just a couple of weeks ago. Cho was subsequently arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder.
In a tangential development, an online post threatening a similar stabbing spree at Ori Station in Seongnam has sparked an investigation by the police, who have swiftly dispatched officers to the area.