Knife-wielding woman in Tampines police standoff to be charged on Wednesday
SINGAPORE — A 53-year-old woman who wielded a knife at police officers outside St Hilda's Secondary School and stabbed herself on Monday (19 September) will be charged in court on Wednesday.
She will be charged with possession of offensive weapons in a public place, said the police in a press release on Tuesday.
The woman will also be investigated by the Central Narcotics Bureau for suspected drug-related offences.
The press release also included two photos of weapons seized from the woman during the incident – a 21cm-long yellow-black knife with a 10cm blade that she wielded and a 13cm-long penknife blade found in her bag.
"The police have zero tolerance towards acts of violence that threaten the safety of the general public and public officers performing their duty. Offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law," said the police.
Police officers had attended to the incident at about 6.30pm on Monday regarding the woman who was near Block 840 Tampines Street 82, opposite the school.
The woman, who had refused to comply with police’s instructions, stabbed herself in the abdomen as well as placed the knife on her neck, and threatened to further harm herself.
One of the officers discharged a taser to prevent the woman from further injuring herself.
The woman was later arrested under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act for alleged drug-related offences.
In videos circulating on social media, at least 10 police officers could be seen surrounding the woman outside the school. At least two of them were carrying plastic shields, while others were carrying what appeared to be submachine guns.
Several officers could be heard telling the woman to put down her knife. The woman seemed agitated and shouted at the officers while pacing along the school's gate and waving an item in her hand. The bottom half of the woman's top looked to be soaked with blood.
At least one taser discharge could be heard in one of the videos. The woman was later seen speaking on a mobile phone. She was kicked by an officer after she dropped an item and bent down to pick it up. The other officers rushed in to subdue the woman by pinning her to the floor.
If convicted of possessing an offensive weapon, the woman could face up to three years in jail.
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