(Pyeongtaek = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Sol = In the middle of the night, several foreigners got into a gang fight in a residential park in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and the police arrested the two people involved.
The police launched an intensive investigation to arrest the remaining suspects, but the full picture of the incident is not clearly revealed as the suspects and witnesses did not provide meaningful statements.
Pyeongtaek Police Station announced on the 4th that it is investigating Russian nationality A and Kyrgyzstan nationality B, both men in their 20s, on charges of violating the law on punishment of violent acts.
According to the police, Mr. A and others are suspected of engaging in a gang fight with several other foreigners at a residential park in Dogok-ri, Poseung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, around 11:30 p.m. the previous day.
In a video provided to Yonhap News by an autonomous crime prevention team member who was at the scene at the time, several foreigners were filmed collectively beating a crouching opponent, swinging a bat and a wooden block.
Another video showed them kicking at a man and then scattering and running away as the autonomous crime prevention team members ran towards them.
The police arrived after receiving a report from the autonomous crime prevention team and arrested Mr. A and Mr. B as red-handed criminals.
At that time, Mr. A and others spotted the patrol car and quickly ran away, but autonomous crime prevention officers helped arrest the suspect by blocking the escape route with a vehicle and pointing out a suspect who was wandering around and notifying the police.
In addition, the police secured several blunt weapons, including a piece of wood, from inside one of the vehicles left behind by those who fled.
However, the police released Mr. A and Mr. B after confirming that they had injuries such as fractures and confirming their personal information. It is reported that they are currently being treated at the hospital.
It was confirmed that Mr. A and others entered the country on study visas and were not illegal immigrants.
Police are also investigating two other Kyrgyz men at the scene as witnesses.
Based on CCTV footage of the area, the police estimate that about 10 people were involved in a gang fight and are tracking the movements of the remaining suspects.
Suspects and witnesses are also being questioned about the circumstances of the crime and their relationships.
However, they are said to be giving unreliable statements such as, "While I was riding in a car, someone suddenly stopped the car and assaulted me," and "I went out to meet an acquaintance, but strangers suddenly attacked me."
Meanwhile, some witnesses claim that the number of foreigners who actually participated in the crime was much higher than the number estimated by the police.
Mr. C, a member of the autonomous crime prevention team and a witness, told Yonhap News, "About 40 foreigners were fighting together, but many of them ran away while the autonomous crime prevention team members and the police responded to the scene one after another."
He continued, โAbout an hour after the police arrested Mr. A and others, I witnessed about 7 people fighting nearby again,โ and added, โThey also ran away shortly after.โ
A police official said, โThe suspects and references are not providing statements that could serve as clues to the investigation,โ and added, โAs soon as the remaining suspects are arrested, we will confirm the details of the crime, including the motive for the crime.โ
