Who is investigating the motive behind the Incheon stabbing spree and what charges does the suspect face?

Three criminal profilers will question the 59-year-old suspect to help determine why the attack occurred. He was detained at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder.

How did the Incheon shopping-complex stabbing attack unfold?

The suspect reportedly wielded knives in both hands and attacked people while moving between floors on an escalator. Shoppers threw chairs at him and subdued him before police took him into custody.

What was the condition of the victims in the Incheon stabbing attack?

Eight people were injured. A woman in her 20s went into cardiac arrest and underwent surgery, while the other seven victims were treated at hospitals.

Criminal profilers to question suspect behind Incheon stabbing spree for motive

Listen

Summary

A 59-year-old man attacked people at a shopping complex in Incheon on Tuesday, injuring eight. Three criminal profilers will question him to determine the motive, police said Wednesday. The suspect was detained at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, while one victim underwent surgery after cardiac arrest and seven others received hospital treatment. Police plan to seek an arrest warrant after questioning him.

Key Facts

The suspect reportedly attacked shoppers with knives in both hands while moving between floors on an escalator.
A woman in her 20s went into cardiac arrest and received surgery, while the other seven victims were treated at hospitals.
Police found the suspect carrying a large quantity of drugs, although he tested negative in a preliminary drug test.
The investigation is being led by Incheon's Namdong Police Station, which plans to apply for an arrest warrant.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 14, 2026 12:00 pm KST

This image from security camera footage provided by a reader shows the suspect of a stabbing spree that left eight people injured in a commercial complex in Incheon, west of Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

INCHEON — Three criminal profilers will help investigate the suspect behind this week's stabbing spree in Incheon that left eight people injured, police said Wednesday.

The profilers will help uncover the motive of the attack, which took place Tuesday afternoon at a shopping complex in the city west of Seoul, according to Incheon's Namdong Police Station.

The suspect, a 59-year-old man, was detained at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and taken into custody, where he reportedly told investigators some details of the attack.

One victim, a woman in her 20s, went into cardiac arrest and received surgery, while the other seven were treated at hospitals.

The assailant reportedly wielded knives in both hands and attacked people while moving between floors on an escalator before shoppers threw chairs at him and subdued him.

He was found to be carrying a large quantity of drugs at the time, but tested negative in a preliminary drug test conducted by the police.

"We plan to apply for an arrest warrant for the suspect after questioning him today," a police official said.

Explore More