Criminal Profilers Join Investigation Into Incheon Stabbing Spree

Police in Incheon have brought three criminal profilers into the investigation of a knife attack at a shopping complex that left eight people injured, as officers seek to establish what drove the suspect’s actions.

The profilers are expected to assist with questioning the 59-year-old man and analyzing his statements and behavior, according to Incheon’s Namdong Police Station. The attack occurred Tuesday afternoon in the city west of Seoul. Police detained the suspect at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder.

Investigators said the man has already provided some details about the attack while in custody, but authorities have not announced a confirmed motive. The decision to involve specialist profilers signals that determining the circumstances and intent behind the violence is now a central part of the inquiry.

One victim, a woman in her 20s, suffered cardiac arrest and underwent surgery. Seven other people received treatment at hospitals. Authorities have not released further details about their conditions.

The suspect reportedly carried knives in both hands and attacked shoppers while moving between floors on an escalator. People at the complex threw chairs at him and subdued him before he was taken into police custody.

Police also found the suspect carrying a large quantity of drugs. A preliminary drug test returned a negative result, leaving investigators to examine why he possessed the substances and whether they had any connection to the attack. No such connection has been established.

Namdong Police Station plans to seek an arrest warrant after completing its questioning of the suspect. An arrest warrant would allow investigators to keep him in custody while they continue gathering evidence and reviewing the sequence of events.

The case has drawn attention to public safety at crowded commercial facilities and to the speed with which bystanders intervened. The next phase of the investigation is expected to focus on the suspect’s motive, preparation and mental state, as well as the accounts of victims and witnesses and any available security-camera footage.

Police have not announced a final conclusion about why the attack occurred. The profilers’ assessment and the suspect’s statements will form part of a broader evidentiary review rather than serving as a determination on their own.