close
close

Hong Kong man arrested after allegedly attacking his wife with hammer and attempting to slit his own throat

A 67-year-old man was arrested after allegedly attacking his wife with a hammer in the stairwell of their Hong Kong apartment building and then attempting to slit his own throat.

A security guard at a residential area in Quarry Bay alerted police at 10:16 a.m. on Saturday after catching the man allegedly assaulting the 65-year-old woman during an argument.

The husband was arrested on suspicion of assault.

The couple were taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan for treatment.

According to sources, the attack site was Kornhill Garden, a middle-class estate in Quarry Bay.

An insider familiar with the matter said the man left the stairwell shortly after the security guard and a colleague confronted him. When police arrived, the man returned, brandishing a knife and holding it to his own neck.

The officers overpowered him and confiscated the knife.

The man injured his neck, while his wife suffered injuries to her head and hands.

The source said the couple had been married for 40 years but had lived apart for many years. The man was said to have recently tried to rekindle the relationship, but the cause of the attack still needs to be investigated.

If you are having suicidal thoughts or know someone who is, you can get help. In Hong Kong, dial +852 18111 for the government Mental Health Support Hotline or +852 2896 0000 for the Samaritans and +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

A list of helplines in other countries can be found on this page.