A police officer who shot a knife-wielding man at a Bendemeer housing block in 2022 had not been errant in his use of the weapon, a coroner found on Monday ( Nov. 4 ) during an investigation into the man’s death, Ng Eng Kui.
Mr Ng, 64, died from a gunshot wound to his left stomach on Mar 23, 2022.
A Singapore Police Force investigating officer ( IO ) and deputy superintendent ( DSP) Desmond Ng took the stand with in-depth findings from an investigation report on Monday at the inquest into his death.
Following that, coroner Kamala Ponnampalam presented her small findings of the case, deeming Mr. Ng’s dying to be an unfortunate misadventure. Given the circumstances of the altercation on March 23, and how Mr. Ng had advanced on the soldiers while brandishing his weapon, she determined that the police agent had not been inappropriate to use his weapon.  ,
GAG ORDER ON POLICE OFFICERS ‘ Identification
Sruthi Boppana, deputy top state counsel, requested a gag order at the start of the hearing to safeguard the identities of the police officers present.
Ms. Boppana stated that the application was made on the grounds that the soldiers were also employed by the Singapore Police Force and that they were concerned about being harassed and having their jobs hampered by their identification.  ,
Therefore, Coroner Ponnampalam inquired whether the issue had been caused by any other events or whether other courts had issued similar orders.  ,
Ms. Boppana responded that there have n’t been any such incidents because the police officers ‘ identities have not been shared. She continued, noting that different courts had issued gag orders in relation to ministry of defense officials who had testified in other cases.  ,
The prosecutor granted a gag order outlawing the release of any information that might lead to the recognition of the police officers and acknowledged that there may be” some risk” to the police officers as a result of the responses to this situation.  ,
DECEASED HAD HISTORY OF DRUG ABUSE ,
The Coroner’s prosecutor was informed that Mr. Ng had been the subject of an investigation for crimes, including drug possession and intake, before his death.  ,
On Sep 8, 2021, Mr Ng had been arrested for throwing objects down his wall. Additionally, drugs were discovered while searching his home, and the situation was sent to the Central Narcotics Bureau for a follow-up research.  ,
While under research, Mr Ng absconded and “remained elusive”. Despite receiving a policeman herald, he was no detained.  ,
According to DSP Ng, Mr Ng was known to misuse drugs, and had tested positive for the use of medicines, including methamphetamine, during various doctor appointments in 2021.  ,
After witnessing Mr. Ng yell Hokkien epithets and use a knife in the area, including at an open-air car park close to Block 33 Bendemeer Road, a few people in the community called the police on March 23, 2022, to make an alert.  ,
Around 3.30pm, Mr. Ng was seen climbing up and down the stairs at his wall with a knife in hand in video footage from police devices that were recorded in court.  ,
Mr. Ng once approached an unidentified man who had just jumped forward in response and immediately left without further incident after crossing an open-air parking lot.  ,
Four police officers responded to the names by arriving at Mr. Ng’s residence on Block 33 Bendemeer Road at around 4.18pm.
Clash AT DECEASED’S UNIT
In court, footage from the police officers ‘ body-worn monitors was also exhibited, illuminating the chaos of Mr. Ng’s altercation with the officials as it broke out in the curvy hallway outside the building.  ,
Officers who came into the building observed that its door and gate were locked, and the building appeared unoccupied. Therefore, as a result, someone yelled into the room and demanded to speak with Mr. Ng, who had a knife in his right hand when he emerged from the room.  ,
At this point, authorities officers began drawing their firearms to stand by while commanding Mr. Ng to lose his weapon.  ,
Also brandishing the weapon, Mr Ng is seen shouting incessantly, triggering officials to build a taser , at him.  ,
Mr. Ng continued to advance toward the soldiers despite it appearing to have no influence. He tried to close the lock on the soldiers, but one kicked the door opened. A second gun was used on Mr. Ng without success as he ventured out of the hall.  ,  ,
DSP Ng claimed that to be efficient, gun probes had to be applied to a woman’s body and to a wider area. In Mr Ng’s circumstance, as both the suspect and soldiers were moving, the officers were unable to suggest why the weapon satellites were dislodged.  ,
In the hall, a police commander drew his revolver as Mr Ng continued to advance, bare feet away from the police.
Around the same moment a second gun was deployed, a police officer shot the pistol at Mr. Ng to indicate that there was an imminent threat.  ,
Mr. Ng then crouched before crashing face-first onto the ground. The officers officials then moved to take the knife out and give Mr. Ng health care.  ,
Around 4.36 p.m., Mr. Ng was transported to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he was later declared deceased at 5.13 p.m.  ,
Quick Results
Having reviewed the research results and the circumstances of the case, the police policeman’s use of the rifle was justified, DSP Ng told the jury.  ,
DSP Ng claimed that Mr. Ng had been extreme and recalcitrant throughout the altercation and that he had been instructed to leave the knife.  ,
The IO claimed that the officer’s use of the gun would have been worse for both the official and the general public if the officer had not taken his actions.  ,
A post-mortem toxicity on Mr Ng found illegal drugs in his brain, including meth.  , Swabs from his fingers of his right side also tested positive for signs of meth. Officials who searched Mr. Ng’s home after the event even discovered drugs.  ,
In her quick results, Coroner Ponnampalam stated that there was no reason to believe foul play in Mr. Ng’s situation.  ,
” I acknowledge that the police agent did not errantly release the rifle,” she said.  ,
An agitated, violent suspect had approached the officers who had wielded a weapon.
” It became extremely evident that he was not going to surrender peacefully”, said the Coroner, adding that the weapons had proven ineffective.  ,
The police officer felt there was little place for retreat as Mr. Ng approached the officers with a knife in hand, she continued, adding that this hampered their health.  ,
According to Coroner Ponnampalam’s analysis of the illegal drugs that were discovered and the finger swabs, Mr. Ng was good to have been drug users, which was in line with Mr. Ng’s history of drug abuse.
Afterward, prosecutor Ponnampalam will release the full results of the case.  ,