Beach Road chopper attack: Man charged with attempted murder

SINGAPORE: A 46-year-old man was charged on Saturday (Apr 16) with the attempted murder of a woman at Beach Road.

Cheng Guoyuan, a Chinese national, is accused of "slashing and chopping" the 42-year-old woman with a chopper repeatedly, according to the charge sheet that was released on Monday.

The victim is believed to be his wife, the police previously said.

Police responded to a case of assault at 75 Beach Road at about 5.30pm on Thursday. Upon arrival, they found a woman with slash wounds and she was taken to hospital.

Police officers located Cheng in the area and used a Taser to subdue him. Preliminary investigations showed the man had purportedly slit his own wrists with a chopper before officers arrived, the police said, adding that he was taken to hospital.

Several members of the public intervened during the attack and were commended by the police for their efforts.

A video circulating online showed staff members of nearby Zhong Hua Steamboat restaurant helping the victim by throwing chairs and other items at Cheng. Customers were dining in the eatery at the time.

Footage of the incident showed a man clad in black apparently slashing the victim as she lay on the road behind a parked car.

The man's hands were covered in blood and he briefly attempted to engage those who tried to intervene, before trying to flee. The woman, who later sat up, was seen with blood on her head, arms and legs.

Police urged members of the public to avoid circulating the videos and speculating on the case.

Those found guilty of attempted murder may be jailed for life. They may also be jailed for up to 20 years, and be liable to caning or a fine, or both.