30-year-old suspect arrested over alleged attack following Orchard Central staring incident

SINGAPORE: A purported staring incident at Orchard Central on Monday (1 Jan) led to a violent altercation, resulting in injuries to five men and one woman.

The alleged assailant, a 30-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon.

According to a media release by the police on Wednesday (3 Jan), preliminary investigations unveiled a staring incident between the suspect and an 18-year-old male victim.

Subsequently, the suspect attacked the initial victim and four others who either attempted to intervene or stumbled upon the commotion.

The victims, aged between 18 and 30, suffered injuries and were promptly treated at the hospital. All six victims have since been discharged.

The police have not disclosed details about the alleged weapon, but witnesses reported spotting blood stains along a 200m stretch on the 11th floor of Orchard Central a day after the incident.

This floor houses establishments such as the dance club Ark 11, a steakhouse, and a restaurant.

Despite the assailant fleeing before the police arrived, authorities managed to identify and apprehend him on Tuesday (2 Jan) with the aid of surveillance cameras.

In a stern statement, the police expressed zero tolerance for such acts of violence and emphasized their commitment to taking swift action against those who blatantly disregard the law.

The suspect is expected to be charged on Thursday under the offence of voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon.

If convicted, he could face up to seven years in jail, along with fines and caning.