Knife-wielding man shot in Clementi: Police shootings in Singapore rare

SINGAPORE - Police shooting incidents, like the one in Clementi on Thursday (Feb 17) night, are rare.

A man was shot in the arm by the police as he was charging towards an officer with a knife outside Clementi Neighbourhood Police Centre.

In a statement on Friday morning, the police said they arrested a 49-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.

There have been previous cases of police shootings over the years.

On May 31, 2015, a 34-year-old man was shot dead by the police near the Shangri-La Hotel in Orange Grove Road. The hotel was hosting The Shangri-La Dialogue, a high-level security summit attended by defence ministers and military chiefs, at the time.

The police had stopped three men at a vehicular checkpoint to inspect their car boot when the driver suddenly accelerated the car and crashed through the police barricades despite warnings. The police opened fire at the vehicle, killing the driver.

The driver, Mohamad Taufik Zahar, and one of the passengers were later revealed to be wanted by the authorities for various offences, and packets of heroin were found in the car.

The two passengers were charged and sentenced in court in 2015. Mohamed Ismail, now 38,received eight years in jail and three strokes of the cane for drug offences, while Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 33, was sentenced to seven years' jail and three strokes of the cane for abetment to commit a rash act and for drug offences.

On March 6, 2008, 43-year-old Lim Bock Song was shot by the police and died at Outram MRT station.

He had fled to the station after stabbing a man to death at a nearby hawker centre.

When officers spotted him, he drew his knife and advanced towards a staff sergeant despite warnings. He was shot in the chest and died on the spot.

On May 15, 2000, a sergeant fired four shots at psychiatric patient Ang Swee Kiat and killed him, after Ang threatened officers with a 62cm-long iron rod.

The police were patrolling Seletar Club Road when he charged at the officers and tried to attack them with the rod. He was warned to stop in both Hokkien and English, but continued to charge.

When Ang was a few steps away, the sergeant shot at him. Three more shots were fired as the patient continued to move towards the officers with the iron rod.

One of the bullets which pierced Ang's arm entered his chest and hit his heart, killing him.

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On Nov 5, 2020, a 36-year-old man was shot in the stomach in an apartment in 235 Balestier Road.

The police were conducting a raid on the condominium unit to arrest four people involved in cheating cases when Prakash Mathivanan, 38, lunged at an officer and attacked him.

The suspect refused to heed a warning from a second officer to stop attacking the injured cop on the floor.

The second officer drew his revolver upon seeing another man approach his injured partner and possibly joining in the assault.

A struggle then ensued when Prakash tried to snatch the revolver from the second officer. A shot was fired at the man's abdomen.

Prakash was later charged with cheating and voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.