Why not shoot to injure knife-wielding man killed in Bendemeer? Shanmugam explains

The recent fatal shooting of a knife-wielding man in Bendemeer has stirred up a discussion on police protocols and whether his death could have been avoided.

In a Facebook post shared on Saturday (March 26), Minister for Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam said: "Most people understand police actions in this case. But some have asked whether it was possible to shoot to injure, rather than kill. 

"Our officers are trained to fire at the centre of the body to stop an imminent threat of grievous hurt or death. This offers a higher probability of hitting and reduces risk of injury to innocent bystanders."

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On March 23, the man was shot in the chest by the police outside a HDB unit along Bendemeer Road.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a press conference that the 64-year-old refused to drop his weapon despite multiple warnings. Officers fired three taser shots at him but he continued to walk towards them.

"As there was an imminent threat to the safety of the officers, one of the officers fired a shot from his pistol at the man, and the man fell to the ground," the police added.

The officer performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the man. He was unconscious when taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The man was wanted by the Central Narcotics Bureau, and was also being investigated for offences of rash act and voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty.

chingshijie@asiaone.com