Woman who brandished knife at police during stand-off in Tampines to be charged in court

SINGAPORE: The woman who stabbed herself during a stand-off with the police outside St Hilda's Secondary School in Tampines on Monday (Sep 19) will be charged in court on Wednesday.

The 53-year-old will be charged with possession of offensive weapons in a public place, said the police in a media release on Tuesday.

Police were called to the scene along Tampines Street 82 at about 6.30pm on Monday. 

“During the engagement with the officers, the woman purportedly brandished a knife at the officers, and used the same knife to stab herself in her abdomen,” police said.

"Despite verbal commands to the woman to place the knife down, the woman allegedly disregarded the officers’ instructions, continued to brandish the knife and placed the knife on her neck and threatened to harm herself further."

One of the officers then deployed a Taser on the woman, the police said, adding that two knives were later seized from her.

When CNA arrived at the scene at around 7pm, the woman was seen screaming in pain. She was in a green shirt, which was stained with what appeared to be blood around the torso region.

At least two police cars and about 10 police officers were there. Some of them were seen carrying what appeared to be submachine guns.

Eyewitnesses told CNA the woman was waving around an object that looked like a knife. She was shouting at the police who told her to drop her weapon.

Shortly after at 7.40pm, the woman was put on a stretcher and taken into an ambulance.

The offence of possession of an offensive weapon carries a jail term of up to three years and caning. However, she cannot be caned as she is a woman.

She will also be investigated by the Central Narcotics Bureau for suspected drug-related offences.