Hong Kong police officer shoots driver allegedly trying to run him over in Tuen Mun

Police at the scene where an officer shot at a driver that allegedly tried to run him over with his Mercedes Benz. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.
Police at the scene where an officer shot at a driver that allegedly tried to run him over with his Mercedes Benz. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.

A Hong Kong police officer shot a suspect in the arm in the early hours of Sunday morning after allegedly narrowly avoiding being run over by the man’s car at a New Territories parking lot.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Superintendent Chan Yi-ping of the New Territories North’s Crime Operations unit, said officers were following what they described as a “suspicious vehicle,” a black Mercedes Benz, driving along Tuen Mun Road towards Yuen long at 2:30am.

The back of a Mercedes Benz hours after an officer shot at it. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.
The back of a Mercedes Benz hours after an officer shot at it. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.

Police followed the Mercedes to a car park at the Yau Oi Estate, and waited by the car park entrance for it to come back out. When the Mercedes reemerged about a minute later, a 47-year-old traffic cop, surnamed Ng, began to approach the vehicle, but tripped and fell in front of it.

The Mercedes then allegedly charged forward, with Ng quickly rolling out of the way to avoid the car. After the driver ignored a series of verbal warnings, Ng fired three shots into the back of the car, one of which hit the driver’s left arm.

Video filmed by Apple Daily shows the car’s rear window shattered, and one bullet hole in the roof.

The driver — a 24-year-old French-Chinese man and Hong Kong identity card holder — then drove through the car park barrier and attempted to flee, but was eventually apprehended by officers waiting inside three police vans on Yai Oi Road outside the estate.

Bullet hold on the roof of the Mercedes Benz. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.
Bullet hole on the roof of the Mercedes Benz. Screengrab via Apple Daily video.

Under the Police General Orders, officers are permitted to open fire in three circumstances: in order to protect themselves or others from death or serious injury, in order to arrest someone who has committed a serious or violent crime, or in order to put down a riot or insurrection.

Speaking of Sunday’s incident, Superintendent Chan said: “At that point, the driver accelerated and drove towards our officer. At that moment, his life was threatened. So he fired three shots at the driver.”

One eyewitness who gave his name as “Ah Kau” told Apple Daily that he saw some officers draw out their guns and warn the driver to “get down! If you don’t get down we’ll open fire.”

He added: “About five seconds later I heard someone say, ‘Lie face down! If you don’t, we’ll shoot.'”

The suspect was arrested for dangerous driving, driving without a valid license, driving without third party insurance, and criminal damage. He is also a suspect in a drugs possession case.

Ng also injured his hand in the incident, and both he and the suspect were sent to Tuen Mun Hospital for treatment.



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