In a private school in Kuching, an ordinary school day was broken when a 16-year-old student allegedly turned an axe on a teacher who was trying to take a sharp object from him. The case has now moved from police hands to prosecutors, yet the deeper question of why it happened remains open, awaiting a forensic psychiatrist's account of a young person who has been described as suffering from depression. Until that account arrives, the story stands as a reminder of how quickly a classroom can become a place of fear, and how slowly the truth behind such an act tends to surface.
Police Submit Investigation Paper on Kuching School Axe Attack to Prosecutors
A teacher was reportedly injured by a 16-year-old student wielding an axe while the teacher tried to confiscate a sharp object.
The file is with prosecutors, but no charging decision has been made.
Mark
Police say the file is with prosecutors. Does that mean charges are coming?
Mimi
Not yet. The deputy public prosecutor decides whether to charge, and that decision waits on the forensic psychiatrist's report.
Mark
Police already point to depression as the cause. Isn't that an answer?
Mimi
It's what they say the incident stemmed from as of now. The motive is still formally open, and the psychiatric report is meant to settle it.
Luke
I'd keep those apart. Depression is the police's current account, not a finding from the psychiatrist. And the source doesn't say what the teenager himself has said.
Mark
What did the investigation cover?
Mimi
38 witnesses, including students, teachers, guards, medical officers and the parents. Seized items include an axe, a knife, firecrackers, a computer and a phone, now with the Chemistry Department.
Luke
Worth noting the analysis results aren't reported. Seizing items isn't the same as having findings from them.
Mark
What is known about the axe?
Mimi
Police say the suspect bought it online.
Luke
And the teacher's condition isn't described beyond being hurt. We don't know the extent of the injuries.
Mark
Why did police ask people not to speculate?
Mimi
The suspect is a minor, and unverified claims could do harm while the case is still open.
Der Puls
- A teacher was reportedly hurt on October 21 when a student allegedly swung an axe during an attempt to seize a sharp object.
- Police received an emergency call at 8.03am, and the 16-year-old was detained with firecrackers and the axe in his possession.
- Investigators gathered statements from 38 witnesses, including students, teachers, guards, medics and the suspect's parents, and sent seized items for analysis.
- The investigation paper reached the deputy public prosecutor, but no charge has been filed while a forensic psychiatric report is still pending.
- Police have urged the public to avoid speculation, as the suspect is a minor and the motive hinges on what the psychiatric evaluation concludes.
In a private school in Kuching, an ordinary school day was broken when a 16-year-old student allegedly turned an axe on a teacher who was trying to take a sharp object from him. The case has now moved from police hands to prosecutors, yet the deeper question of why it happened remains open, awaiting a forensic psychiatrist's account of a young person who has been described as suffering from depression. Until that account arrives, the story stands as a reminder of how quickly a classroom can become a place of fear, and how slowly the truth behind such an act tends to surface.
Police in Kuching have completed their investigation into an axe attack at a private school and handed the file to the deputy public prosecutor. Sarawak acting police commissioner Deputy Comm Saifullizan Ishak confirmed the paper was sent on Monday, October 26, and spoke at a press conference on Wednesday.
The attack took place on October 21. A teacher was injured while trying to take a sharp object from a 16-year-old student, who was then detained after police responded to an emergency call. He was reportedly carrying firecrackers alongside the axe.
On the reason behind it, police have been cautious. They say the suspect has depression and is receiving hospital treatment and psychiatric evaluation. The motive is not yet settled, and a forensic psychiatrist's report is awaited. Only once that report reaches prosecutors will a decision be made on whether charges follow.
Investigators took statements from 38 witnesses, seized the axe, a knife, firecrackers, a computer and a phone, and found the axe had been bought online. Saifullizan asked the public not to speculate, given the suspect's age.
Police in Kuching have finished their investigation into the axe attack at a private school and handed the file to prosecutors. Sarawak acting police commissioner Deputy Comm Saifullizan Ishak said the investigation paper on the 16-year-old suspect went to the deputy public prosecutor on Monday, Oct 26. He spoke at a press conference at state police headquarters on Wednesday, Oct 28.
The incident dates to Oct 21. According to the account given, a teacher was hurt while trying to take a sharp object away from the student. Police received an emergency call at 8.03am and detained the 16-year-old, who was allegedly carrying firecrackers as well as the axe used to injure the teacher.
On what lay behind it, Saifullizan was careful. For now, he said, the cause of the incident stemmed from the suspect experiencing depression. The motive itself is not settled. The teenager remains under psychiatric evaluation and is receiving treatment in hospital, and police are waiting for a report from a forensic psychiatrist to determine the motive.
That report will shape what happens next. Once police receive it, they will forward it to the deputy public prosecutor, who will decide whether the suspect is charged. The investigation paper is therefore with prosecutors, but no charging decision has been made.
The inquiry was broad. Police took statements from 38 witnesses, among them students, teachers, security guards, medical officers and the suspect's parents. They also seized an axe, a knife, firecrackers, a computer and a mobile phone. These items have been sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis. Investigators established that the suspect bought the axe online.
The case has been investigated under two laws: Section 324 of the Penal Code, which covers voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, and Section 6(1) of the Explosives Act 1957, which relates to the firecrackers.
Saifullizan also asked the public not to speculate or spread unverified information, noting that the case involves a minor. The immediate thing to watch is the forensic psychiatrist's report, which will inform both the question of motive and the prosecutors' decision.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
As of now, the cause of the incident stemmed from the suspect experiencing depression.— Deputy Comm Saifullizan Ishak, Sarawak acting police commissioner
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