(2nd LD) Man arrested following standoff with police says he tried to harm himself

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SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Yonhap) -- A man arrested after wielding weapons in a 2 1/2-hour standoff with police in Seoul said Sunday he tried to harm himself, officials said, after the incident sparked fears of a stabbing rampage targeting random people.

The man in his late 30s was arrested Saturday night in the parking lot of a residential building in the northwestern ward of Eunpyeong, about 2 1/2 hours after police were sent to the scene following a report that a man was carrying weapons.

The police have seized eight weapons from him.

The weapons were sharp kitchenware he had used when he worked as a chef, police said.

During the standoff, the man brandished the weapons in both hands at the police officers while also threatening to hurt himself. A total of 21 police commandos were also mobilized to overpower the man, and no one was hurt.

The incident happened as South Koreans have been wary of unprovoked crimes targeting random people in the wake of two deadly stabbing sprees, in Seoul and Bundang, south of the capital, as well as a rape and murder case on a hiking trail in Seoul.

During questioning Sunday, the man said he had drunk alcohol alone and had planned to harm himself.

While drinking, the suspect expressed frustrations about his family and job problems, a witness said. Another witness said the man appeared to have gotten into an argument with a pedestrian who complained that he was smoking, though that witness's account has not been confirmed.

The man was diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years ago but is currently not undergoing any treatment.

He has tested negative for drugs, the officials said.

The police plan to apply for a formal arrest warrant for him later in the day and also investigate whether he threatened any other people with the weapons.

Police restrict access to a residential area in northwestern Seoul on Aug. 26, 2023, after a standoff with a man carrying weapons in the area. (Yonhap)

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