20-6-2024 (SINGAPORE) Four teenagers have been apprehended by authorities following a suspected violent altercation involving a chopper in the Sembawang neighborhood of Singapore, police officials announced on Monday.
According to a statement released by the Singapore Police Force, officers responded to an incident at Block 466 Sembawang Drive in the early hours of June 15 around 4:10am. It was reported that one youth had allegedly slashed a 20-year-old man with a chopper during an eruption of violence.
Utilizing closed-circuit television footage, the Woodlands Police Division and Police Operations Command Centre rapidly identified the four teenage suspects through images captured by police cameras in the vicinity.
A 19-year-old male, who was allegedly armed with the chopping implement used in the assault, was apprehended on June 19. He is expected to be formally charged in court on Tuesday with voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon – an offense that carries a potential jail term of up to seven years, fines, caning, or a combination of punishments upon conviction.
The teenager will also face charges under the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act for unlawful possession of an offensive weapon in public, which could result in up to three years’ imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of six strokes of the cane if found guilty.
Separately, two 17-year-old males and one 18-year-old male were arrested on June 15 for the offense of associating with individuals armed with offensive weapons in public areas. Investigations into their involvement remain ongoing, police stated.
Issuing a stern warning, law enforcement authorities reminded the public that carrying offensive or scheduled weapons in public spaces constitutes a criminal offense. “The police have zero tolerance for such brazen acts of violence and will not hesitate to take firm action against those who blatantly disregard the law,” the statement declared.
