Four shots fired and undercover police officer run over after 'Apple Daily' theft
An undercover police officer opened fire four times and was run over by a van after dramatically intervening to try and foil a street theft in the early hours of this morning.
PUBLISHED : Monday, 12 January, 2015, 11:35am
UPDATED : Monday, 12 January, 2015, 12:40pm
Clifford Lo [email protected]
Police at the scene where the sergeant was forced out of the van and run over. Photo: Sam Tsang
The area has now been cordoned off. Photo: Sam Tsang
Four shots were fired during the dramatic struggle. Photo: Sam Tsang
An undercover police officer opened fire four times after dramatically intervening to try and foil a street theft in the early hours of this morning.
The sergeant had earlier seen a van pull up and a man steal a bundle of Chinese-language Apple Daily copies from a newspaper stall at Whampoa Estate in Man Tai Street, Hung Hom.
The officer - part of a plainclothes team on a surveillance operation mounted after reports of thefts of newspapers and vegetables from street traders in the area - gave chase and managed to jump into the blue vehicle through its side door as it sped off and ordered the driver to stop.
But the man, aged in his late 20s, ignored the warnings and drove on for about 1km with a young woman aged about 18 beside him in the front seat.
When he finally pulled over, the officer struggled with the driver and was forced out of the vehicle.
The officer fired four shots but it is not yet clear if anyone was injured or if he hit any targets.
The man then drove off, running over the officer's legs as he lay in the road outside Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Chatham Road South, Hung Hom.
The officer, who is attached to Hung Hom police station, is now being treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
“He mainly suffered leg injuries. We were told that he was not in a life-threatening state,” a police source said.
Copies of Apple Daily fell from the vehicle and scattered at the Chatham Road South crime scene.
Two lanes of Chatham Road South heading towards Yau Ma Tei and Tsim Sha Tsui have been closed to traffic.
Detectives from Kowloon West regional crime unit are investigating. So far, no one has been arrested and the van has not been recovered.
At about 9am, about 30 uniformed officers arrived at the scene where the officer opened fire. It is understood they will carry out a search at the scene.
