It began with a man accusing another of bumping into him, escalated into an explosive argument and ended with the accuser hitting the other man’s head with two beer bottles.
Part of the incident, which occurred at a 24-hour convenience store near Lorong 19 in Geylang around 9.40pm on Sunday, was captured on video by a female shop assistant using her mobile phone camera.
The minimart manager, who wanted to be known only as Mr Liu, 49, told The New Paper yesterday that the assailant, who was a familiar face at the store, was buying cigarettes and soft drinks at the time.
Mr Liu’s female assistant had told him that the man, who wore a black T-shirt, was paying at the counter when an older man and a friend entered the store to buy cigarettes.
Suddenly, the first man loudly accused the older man of bumping into him and started swearing.
“The older man told him that he didn’t like what he was saying,” said Mr Liu in Mandarin.
As the argument became more heated, the first man suddenly grabbed two beer bottles and hit the older man’s head. The bottles did not shatter but blood started gushing from the victim’s head.
Mr Liu said: “The shop assistant told me that the blood just kept flowing, staining the older man’s white T-shirt. He was also unsteady and fell down once but he never hit back at the man in the black T-shirt.”
As the assailant continued spewing vulgarities, the victim shouted at his companion to call the police. When the assailant heard this, he phoned a friend and asked to him to go to the store, said Mr Liu.
STUNNED
Meanwhile, the victim’s friend blocked the door to prevent the assailant from leaving.
Alone in the shop with three angry men, the shop assistant was too stunned to do anything.
“She told me that she didn’t see the victim bump into the other man,” said Mr Liu.
When the shop assistant tried to record the attack on her mobile phone, the assailant threatened her.
Mr Liu said: “He shouted at her to stop or he would call people to go to the shop every day to harass her.”
When Mr Liu arrived at the minimart around 10pm, the police were already there and four or five people were milling around outside.
“The assailant’s friend was outside and didn’t enter the store,” he said.
Mr Liu said that when the assailant saw the police, he sat on the floor and said he felt faint. But he declined to be taken to hospital, said a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman.
The 43-year-old victim was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng hospital in an ambulance, the spokesman added.
A police spokesman said they were alerted to the incident at 9.52pm.
A 34-year-old man was arrested for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons and means. Investigations are continuing.
Mr Liu estimated that the minimart lost about $1,000 in takings as a result of the incident.
He said the police were there for about three hours carrying out investigations.
“We spent an hour cleaning the shop after that,” added Mr Liu.
“Some items like the beer bottles next to the counter had blood (on them) and had to be thrown away. It wasn’t the first time a fight has happened but this is the worst so far.”
Source: www.tnp.sg
