Incheon shooting a ‘premeditated crime driven by delusion,’ police say

Police search a suspect’s home in Dobong District, Seoul, July 21, after he claimed to have installed explosives following the fatal shooting of his son in Incheon. Yonhap

A man who shot and killed his adult son with a homemade firearm during a birthday gathering in Incheon was driven by long-held delusions and meticulously planned the crime for nearly a year, police said Monday.

The 62-year-old suspect, surnamed A, is accused of fatally shooting his 33-year-old son and firing additional rounds at a fleeing domestic helper at an apartment complex in Songdo on July 20.

In a media briefing, Incheon police announced Tuesday that A will be referred to prosecutors on Wednesday on multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder and violations of the Firearms, Swords, and Explosives Control Act.

Police concluded that the crime was premeditated, not spontaneous. Investigators say A harbored deep delusions, believing he was still part of the family after divorcing his ex-wife in 1999.

He also felt alienated after his son married in 2015, claiming his family "conspired to isolate" him. “He believed his ex-wife and son colluded to entrap him,” an officer said.

Investigators said A began preparing the homemade weapon in August 2023 after watching instructional videos online. He ordered parts, tested the firearm repeatedly at home and even experimented with explosive devices, fearing the sound of gunfire would alert neighbors.

“He chose his own birthday for the attack, believing the firearm was ready,” police said, adding that he found using a gun more effective than a knife because it did not require close contact.

A fired four rounds, two of which were aimed at the helper as she tried to escape. Police also found four gun barrels, 15 bullets and two firing devices in his possession. He later confronted his daughter-in-law and grandchildren in a locked room, prompting additional attempted murder charges.

While A claimed he only intended to kill his son, authorities said the number of weapons and ammunition pointed to broader intent. They added that he may also face a charge of using explosives, pending forensic analysis of the devices recovered.

Despite police labeling the crime as rooted in "delusion," experts caution that this rationale may be challenged in court.

A has no history of psychiatric illness, which complicates the prosecution’s argument. O Yoon-seong, a professor of police administration at Soonchunhyang University, said, “If delusion is recognized, it can be seen as a form of diminished responsibility and lead to a reduced sentence. Without a psychiatric evaluation, it's questionable for police to make that judgment.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.