Suspect says frustration at hospital prompted knife attack in Incheon: police

A 59-year-old man attacked random people at a shopping complex in Incheon on Tuesday, injuring eight. He told police that frustration over treatment for athlete’s foot and a subsequent police investigation prompted the attack. Police are using three criminal profilers to determine his motive and plan to seek an arrest warrant after questioning.

The suspect said he selected people who appeared weaker than him but claimed he did not intend to kill anyone.

The hospital reported the suspect to police after he carried a weapon during one-man protests that began in August, and he was booked last month.

Two additional people were attacked but escaped injury, including one whose cigarette pack stopped a knife tip.

Police said the large quantity of drugs found on the suspect appeared to be prescribed psychiatric medication, and a preliminary drug test was negative.

Shoppers subdued the suspect by throwing chairs at him after he reportedly moved between floors on an escalator while wielding knives in both hands.

Published Oct 14, 2026 12:00 pm KST

Updated Oct 14, 2026 5:35 pm KST

This image from security camera footage provided by a reader shows the suspect of a stabbing spree that left eight people injured in a commercial complex in Incheon, west of Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

The suspect in this week's stabbing spree in Incheon has cited frustration over his treatment at a hospital as the motive for his crime, police said Wednesday.

The 59-year-old man gave the account to investigators during questioning, one day after he attacked random people at a shopping complex in the city west of Seoul, injuring eight, including one who remains unconscious.

"I did not target any specific person, and I chose people who looked weaker than me, but I had no intention to kill," the suspect was quoted as saying during questioning at Incheon's Namdong Police Station.

Injured citizens receive emergency medical treatment at a commercial building in Incheon, Tuesday, after a man, believed to be in his 60s, went on a stabbing spree, injuring eight people. Yonhap

According to police, the man received treatment for athlete's foot at a local hospital but was unhappy that his symptoms did not improve and began to stage a one-man protest in front of the facility in August.

The hospital reported him to the police for carrying a weapon during the protests, and he was booked last month before undergoing questioning last week.

"I was unhappy with the hospital and unhappy that I was investigated by the police because the hospital reported me," he was quoted as telling investigators.

Citizens stand behind the police tape near a commercial building in Incheon, west of Seoul, Tuesday, where a man, believed to be in his 60s, went on a stabbing spree. Yonhap

Police have assigned three criminal profilers to help determine the motive.

In addition to the eight who were injured, two others were attacked but escaped unhurt, with one being saved when the tip of a knife hit a cigarette pack in a coat pocket and the other only winding up with torn clothing.

The suspect reportedly wielded knives in both hands while moving between floors on an escalator before shoppers subdued him by throwing chairs at him.

He was found carrying a large quantity of drugs, but police said they appeared to be prescribed psychiatric medication judging from the packaging. Earlier, he tested negative in a preliminary drug test.

Police plan to apply for an arrest warrant after completing their interrogation.

周二，一名59岁男子在仁川一家购物中心随机袭击路人，造成8人受伤。他告诉警方，因脚气治疗不顺利以及警方随后展开调查，他感到沮丧，遂发起袭击。警方已聘请三名犯罪侧写师调查其作案动机，并计划在讯问后申请逮捕令。

嫌疑人称他选择的是看起来比他弱小的人，但他声称自己并没有杀人的意图。

该医院在8月份开始的一人抗议活动中携带武器后向警方报案，该嫌疑人已于上个月被逮捕。

另有两人遭到袭击，但幸免于难，其中一人用香烟盒挡住了刀尖。

警方表示，在嫌疑人身上发现的大量毒品似乎是处方精神类药物，初步毒品检测结果呈阴性。

据报道，嫌疑人双手拿着刀，在自动扶梯上穿梭于不同楼层之间，购物者们向他扔椅子，最终制服了他。

发布于2026年10月14日韩国时间下午12:00

更新于2026年10月14日下午5:35（韩国标准时间）

这张由读者提供的监控录像截图显示了周二在首尔以西仁川一处商业综合体内发生的持刀行凶事件的嫌疑人，该事件造成八人受伤。（韩联社）

警方周三表示，本周在仁川发生的持刀伤人案的嫌疑人称，他对在医院接受的治疗感到不满，这是他犯罪的动机。

这名 59 岁的男子在接受调查人员讯问时供述了案情。一天前，他在首尔西部的一个购物中心袭击了随机路人，造成 8 人受伤，其中 1 人至今仍处于昏迷状态。

嫌疑人在仁川南洞警察局接受讯问时表示：“我没有针对任何特定对象，我选择的是看起来比我弱小的人，但我没有杀人的意图。”

周二，在仁川一栋商业大楼内，一名据信60多岁的男子持刀行凶，造成8人受伤。受伤市民正在大楼内接受紧急医疗救治。（韩联社）

据警方称，该男子在当地一家医院接受了脚气治疗，但对症状没有好转感到不满，于 8 月份开始在该医院门前进行单人抗议。

医院举报他在抗议活动中携带武器，他上个月被警方拘留，上周接受了讯问。

据报道，他告诉调查人员：“我对医院很不满意，也很不高兴因为医院举报了我，所以警方才对我进行调查。”

周二，在首尔以西的仁川市，一名据信60多岁的男子在一栋商业大楼附近持刀行凶，市民们站在警戒线后。韩联社

警方已指派三名犯罪侧写师协助确定作案动机。

除了八名受伤者外，还有两人遭到袭击但毫发无损地逃脱，其中一人因刀尖碰到外套口袋里的香烟盒而获救，另一人只是衣服被撕破了。

据报道，嫌疑人在自动扶梯上移动时，双手都拿着刀，后来购物者向他扔椅子，才将他制服。

警方发现他携带大量毒品，但根据包装判断，这些毒品似乎是处方精神类药物。此前，他的初步毒品检测结果呈阴性。

警方计划在完成审讯后申请逮捕令。