After two ladies were killed by a guy who, according to sources, was only days away from an appointment to treat his schizophrenia at a public clinic, the leader of Hong Kong has promised to investigate the city’s mental health facilities.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu expressed his condolences to the relatives of the victims on Saturday and then listed four more actions that disciplined services, health, and welfare officials will take, all the while emphasizing that the occurrence was a “individual case.”
He declared: “The Health Bureau and Hospital Authority would assess the rehabilitation and treatment processes used by public mental services. In order to fully improve people’s mental well-being, “the bureau will also collaborate with the Advisory Committee on Mental Health.”
He continued, “The Social Welfare Department will also enhance services for mental wellness at the city’s 24 integrated community centers.”Police will increase patrols in densely populated areas, Lee added, reiterating that the occurrence was a “individual case” and the city was still quite safe.
Additionally, he advised locals to refrain from disseminating upsetting video of the attack.
When asked if the government’s “Happy Hong Kong” campaign promotional events should go on as scheduled, Lee responded that doing so would be detrimental to the mental health of the city’s citizens.
According to security camera footage that has been making the rounds online, the man approached the two women at the Plaza Hollywood shopping center in Diamond Hill soon after 5 p.m. on Friday and attacked one of them with a 30cm (12-inch) knife more than 25 times during the course of the incident, which lasted over a minute.
When her buddy tried to step in, the attacker repeatedly stabbed her.
A adjacent restaurant’s chef grabbed two seats and went to the attacker after hearing screaming. The chef punched the man in an effort to dissuade him from harming anyone else, claiming that the impact made him appear “shocked.”
A few minutes later, shielded policemen arrived, and they tackled the attacker.According to the police, the two ladies, friends who were 22 and 26 years old, were declared dead an hour after being transferred to United Christian Hospital while unconscious.
According to a source, they had plans to go to a birthday celebration that evening.
According to police, there was “no concrete evidence” to support any connections to the attacker, according to a preliminary investigation.
The victims were residents of Lung Mei Tsuen in Tai Po, the same neighborhood where model Abby Choi Tin-fung was brutally murdered in February in a three-story village house and mutilated.
Choi’s legs, skull, and a few fractured ribs were discovered by police in the ground-floor apartment of the residence.Speaking at the same press conference as the mayor, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau urged people not to stigmatize those with mental health conditions in light of the incident.
“I hope that the general public will not label people with mental health needs and continue to support and encourage them to seek treatment and help, so their health can recover,” he added. He also expressed gratitude to those who attempted to revive the victims.
The public was also advised by the Advisory Committee on Mental Health to support those with mental diseases. The tragedy was referred to as a unique incidence, and the public was urged not to overreact with dread against those who had mental health concerns.
Although his father informed the media that his son was “very normal,” the day before the attack, he had been struggling with his mental health. The family, he claimed, had previously been happy but was currently going through a trying time.
According to psychiatrist Dr. May Lam Mei-ling, the founder and president of the Hong Kong Mental Wellness Association, patients with schizophrenia frequently experience symptoms including delusion and auditory hallucinations, necessitating long-term treatment to maintain control of the illness.
She did, however, note that assaults on strangers were “rare”. Although individuals would be more prone to use violence if they had personality disorders or substance addiction issues, Lam said they were more likely to attack persons they knew.It is “extremely rare” for someone with serious mental illness to attack others at random, according to psychiatrist Dr. Ivan Mak Wing-chit. According to him, the stabbing highlighted how crucial it is to have enough resources available to facilitate the recovery of people who are mentally ill.
Mak noted that more people reported having common mental diseases amid the health crisis, saying, “We need to face the issue that the demand for psychiatric manpower has increased, especially after the Covid-19 epidemic.”
The government will have to carefully choose how to distribute psychiatric care resources given the scarcity, he noted.
The government should create a primary care network of mental care providers that residents can easily access, according to lawmaker Dr. David Lam Tzit-yuen, who represents the medical and health services industry.
“Contacting a psychologist is not always simple for a family doctor. I’m not sure where to look for them,” he replied. The community ought to have a network of [professionals] that includes clinical psychologists and family practitioners.
Tik Chi-yuen, a politician from the welfare sector, urged the government to strengthen the way it handles individual mental problems.
There are several deficiencies, whether it is a daycare, residential facility, or counseling service. “Many cases are not being thoroughly followed up on,” Tik remarked. “It is time for us to consider how we might further enhance our services.”
The suspect had been receiving therapy, according to the Social Welfare Department, and medical social workers had been monitoring his case.
The department also stated that it has contacted the families of the two victims’ suspects and was “highly concerned” about the killings.
In order to provide assistance for anyone experiencing emotional distress as a result of the occurrence, a mobile service counter staffed with clinical psychologists was put up close to one of the shopping center’s entrances, it stated.
