HK chief executive offers condolence over cop's death in street gunfight

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Donald Tsang on Friday expressed his condolence to the family of the policeman who died during a gun battle at wee hours that shook the region.

"We're shocked and feel very sad about the death of one policeman and the injury of another one," Tsang said after visiting the Queen Elizabeth hospital where the seriously wounded policeman was treated.

The gunfight occurring in a subway in a shopping area at Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon peninsula at about 1:15 a.m. Friday left two people dead and one seriously injured.

A 33-year-old policeman with gun shot in the head and the suspect were confirmed dead when rushed into hospital, while the 28-year-old injured policeman is still in critical situation and under intensive care unit with wounds in the face and the legs.

Preliminary investigation by the police showed the suspect was also a policeman who was off duty but the motive of the shooting was still unknown, a police spokesman said.

The police tracked the weapon used by the suspect to a missing gun of a policeman who was murdered on March 14, 2001 but the exact source of the gun still needed to be verified.

Hong Kong's Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-Kwong and Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue also expressed their profound sadness upon hearing of the death of police.

"The Civil Service Bureau has been in contact with the Hong Kong Police Force and will make every effort to help the two families during this sad and difficult period," she said.

The police, however, did not explain how the gunfire started, only saying that more than 10 bullets were fired at the scene.

The scene of the shooting is still cordoned off, while sniffer dogs and forensic team are searching for further evidence there.

The police also opened hotline to collect information from the public who might have witnessed the case.

Though famous for its movies on gangster crimes, Hong Kong is a quite safe place with few felonies. Violence such as gunfight is especially scarce, for possession of arm is illegal in the city.

Source: Xinhua