A man wielding two Molotov cocktails held up a bank in Shatin for about an hour-and-a-half before being arrested on Thursday.
The suspect burst into the ground floor of Shatin Lucky Plaza at around 4pm and threw a homemade bomb on the ground. According to police, he was very emotional as he shouted “I lost a lot of money, I am HK$3 million in debt!” He said he feared for the safety of his wife and children. He held nine hostages included seven staff members of the Bank of Communications and two shopping mall employees.
About a dozen policemen and firemen were on standby outside the bank. Shops were closed and shoppers were evacuated. The man cried and demanded to see his wife and children at one point, said Sha Tin District Police Chief Inspector Siu Man-hon. He surrendered at 5.45pm after taking food and water provided by police. No one was injured in the incident.
Photo: .v1ctor Casale.
