Knife-wielding man shot by Hong Kong police dies after 10 days in hospital

A 43-year-old man has died in hospital, 10 days after Hong Kong police fired five shots to subdue him while he was armed with a knife and a metal rod in the middle of a road in Kwai Chung.

The man, surnamed Chung, died at 8.47pm on Monday at Princess Margaret Hospital after 10 days of treatment, a government spokesperson told HKFP on Tuesday.

Princess Margaret Hospital. Photo: GovHK.

Chung was armed with a 30-centimetre-long knife and a one-metre-long metal rod when he was shot shortly after midnight on March 21, Senior Superintendent Iu Wing-kan said at a press briefing that day.

Police arrived at the scene after receiving reports that a man “holding sharp objects” was seen wandering outside Tsuen Wan MTR Station and Castle Peak Road in Kwai Chung.

He tried to attack officers from the police force’s emergency unit (EU), who gave him verbal warnings and tried to persuade him to disarm. An officer then pepper-sprayed his face in a bid to control him but failed, Iu said.

“The man continued to rush towards the police with the weapons and shouted, ‘I’ll hack you to death!'” Iu said.

“At this time, an EU police officer fired two gunshots at the man after repeated warnings proved futile. The man did not stop… Another policeman then fired one more shot at him, but it was ineffective. A third EU police officer fired two shots at the man, and he was finally subdued,” Iu said.

Senior Superintendent Iu Wing-kan holds a press briefing about a police shooting case on March 21, 2026. Photo: HKFP Screenshot.

Chung was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital for emergency treatment. Two gunshot wounds were found on his body, to the right chest and right thigh, Iu said.

Chung worked as an industrial worker and had no criminal record, according to police.

On January 15, police fired live rounds to subdue a knife-wielding man at Tuen Mun Town Plaza.

Online footage appears to show the suspect brandishing the blade on a sidewalk before turning towards the mall, causing people to flee. The suspect later died in hospital.