A 17-year-old Hongkonger has been hospitalised after attempting to set himself on fire in public, and trying to knock his ex-girlfriend unconscious with a cloth soaked in lacquer thinner.
The teenager, surnamed Luk, and his ex-girlfriend, surnamed Chan, are sixth form students at Tin Shui Wai Government Secondary School. According to Apple Daily, the pair began dating in early 2015, before splitting in November later that year.
Despite their split, Chan’s family said that Luk often came to their home at Tin Shin Court in the hopes of reconciliation. After escorting Chan home from a mock exam yesterday morning, Luk reportedly attempted to get back together with his former paramour, only to be rejected yet again.
Luk then apparently tried to knock Chan out by smothering her nose and mouth with a cloth soaked in lacquer thinner outside her apartment, but failed. During Luk and Chan’s struggle, Chan reportedly pressed the doorbell of her neighbour, who called the police as Luk made a hasty getaway.
The runaway rag-soaker then fled to Tamar Park, where he allegedly stripped off, doused himself in thinner, and lit himself on fire amongst a sea of LED roses at around 1.30pm.
Thankfully, Luk was stopped by a security guard, and only suffered burns to his right hand. The teen was taken to the hospital while police investigate the incident.
Chan’s family told the police the girl had complained about Luk’s presence at their home, and said he had even ransacked her room on a previous occasion. The school had already warned Luk about his behaviour once, and organised for him to receive counselling from a teacher.
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