Hawker in Yishun Arrested For Brandishing Knife in a Coffee Shop

It looks like we’ve got another knife-related incident to add to this month’s growing list of violent events. 

Even though we’re just kicking off the new year, there have already been several troubling incidents, from a slashing case during a New Year’s Eve countdown to a fatal neighbour dispute involving a 65-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman in Bukit Batok.

Another individual has been arrested for having a knife during a heated confrontation at a local coffee shop. 

What makes it even more unsettling is the fact that he happens to be a hawker working at that very coffee shop, making it all too easy for him to get hold of that knife.

Hawker in Yishun Arrested For Brandishing Knife in a Coffee Shop

A 57-year-old man was arrested after he reportedly pulled out a knife during a brawl at a coffee shop in Block 807 Yishun Ring Road.

Things got heated between him and a 61-year-old man, leading to the fight.

This incident unfolded around 8.30 pm on Monday (8 January 2024), with the police being notified shortly after that. 

According to The Straits Times, the hawker was arrested for attempting to cause harm with a dangerous weapon. Fortunately, no ambulance was needed, implying no party was harmed.

A Shin Min Daily News reporter spoke to a woman named Ms Liang, 44, who identified herself as the arrested man’s wife. 

She revealed they both run a mee siam stall at the coffee shop.

While the exact cause of the dispute remains unclear, she said that her husband might have caused a commotion after consuming alcohol once they had closed their stall for the day. 

Police investigations are currently ongoing.

Recent Slashing Incidents

This incident follows a series of recent violent episodes in Singapore. 

Just last week, on New Year’s Day, a confrontation stemming from a staring incident led to injuries for five men and one woman, aged between 18 and 30, at Orchard Central. 

This dispute occurred four hours after a New Year’s Eve countdown event near the Ark11 dance club on the mall’s 11th floor.

Just on Sunday (7 January 2024), a 65-year-old man was arrested for murdering his 43-year-old neighbour in a Bukit Batok flat. 

This tragic event unfolded as both parties had a history of disputes with each other over excessive noise, with the victim having filed multiple police reports.

On the day of the murder, police officers combed through the rubbish at the block’s waste collection centre and seized a knife believed to have been used in the incident.