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Suspect stabs 2 in Sillim-dong before jumping to death

Published: 30 Jun. 2025, 18:52

A man in his 30s attacked two men with a knife at an apartment in Sillim-dong, Gwanak District, southern Seoul, at around 8:30 p.m. on June 29 before jumping to his death from the rooftop. The apartment where the incident occurred is seen in this photo. [PARK JONG-SUH]

A suspect in a knife attack in Sillim-dong, southern Seoul, injured two men on Sunday night before jumping to his death from the rooftop of the building.

Gwanak Police said the incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday when the suspect, a man in his 30s, knocked on the door of a unit in the building and immediately began attacking the residents with a knife after they opened the door.

The victims, men in their 20s and 30s, recently moved into the building together. They told investigators they did not know the suspect.

After being stabbed, one of the victims, a man in his 20s, ran about 200 meters (660 feet) to a nearby convenience store to seek help. The store employee called the police at approximately 8:35 p.m.

Both victims were taken to a hospital with injuries to the shoulder and ankle. Authorities said they are not life-threatening injuries.

Police officers searching the area found the suspect on the building’s rooftop. He jumped from the sixth-floor roof as officers approached.

The suspect was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead.

Police responding to a knife attack at Sillim-dong, Gwanak District, southern Seoul, on June 29 found the suspect on the rooftop of the six-story building, but he immediately jumped and landed against a wall of the building and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. [PARK JONG-SUH]

"There was no standoff between the suspect and police on the rooftop," a Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official said.

Authorities plan to continue investigating the motive once the victims complete their treatment.

"The victims have no idea why this happened," the official said. "We will collect more evidence and proceed with the investigation despite the suspect’s death."

Police maintained a perimeter near the building until about 1 p.m. on Monday. Some passersby turned away after seeing the tape, while others stopped and stared at the building.

Residents expressed concern after seeing the police line.

"Last night, one of my tenants texted me a media report saying there was a knife attack next door," said the owner of a building next to the apartment. "There was a major knife incident nearby in 2023 too. I really don’t know what’s going on."

A Sillim-dong resident surnamed Kim, 27, who has lived in a studio apartment in the neighborhood for three years, said they spent a sleepless night after reading about the attack on an online forum.

"My lease is almost up, so I was already thinking of moving. This incident made my mind up," Kim said.

Another resident, Hyun, 37, said, "There’s been a knife incident every year since 2023, so it’s hard not to feel uneasy."

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]