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Hong Kong police officer shoots protester with real ammunition in clashes

2019-11-11T06:31:51.325Z


A 21-year-old protester was shot with live ammunition by a police officer in Hong Kong early Monday, while traffic stopped and clashes erupted throughout the city.…


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(CNN) - A 21-year-old protester was shot with live ammunition by a police officer in Hong Kong early Monday, while traffic stopped and clashes erupted throughout the city.

A traffic policeman shot the protester in the torso and fired two more bullets live in Sai Wan Ho, east of Hong Kong Island, according to a police source.

In a video clip of the incident shared online, the officer can be seen dealing with a protester. A second protester, dressed in black and wearing a mask, approaches the fight, and the agent raises his weapon.

The second protester seems to try to shake or hit the gun, and the policeman shoots at close range, shouting from the surrounding crowd of protesters and passersby.

Several other protesters face the officer, and two more shots of real ammunition are fired off camera.

The injured protester is being operated in a hospital and remains in critical condition, according to the authority of the Hong Kong Hospital.

LOOK : Journalist loses sight in one eye after receiving rubber bullet impact fired by a police officer in Hong Kong

In a statement, police confirmed that the agent had "unloaded his service revolver" and that agents in two other places also drew their weapons while trying to disperse the protesters.

The statement denied "online rumors" about the reckless use of firearms and called the accusations "totally false and malicious."

"The police have strict guidelines and orders regarding the use of firearms," ​​the statement said. "All police officers must justify their public order actions."

Since then, police officers cordoned off the area where the protester was shot and fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Protesters called a general strike on Monday throughout the city and caused traffic disruptions in several places during Monday morning. Police said protesters established barricades and blocked roads in the districts of Sha Tin, Tseung Kwan O, Tuen Mun and Hung Hom.

Several subway lines experienced mild to severe delays, with some routes partially suspended "due to an escalation of the situation at the station," according to the MTR metro operator.

In a statement, police said they continued clearing barricades and dispersing protesters.

The anti-government protests, which began in June in opposition to an extradition bill now withdrawn, have lasted for five months. The protesters have five main demands, including an independent investigation into the alleged police brutality and broader democratic reforms.

Protests have caused retail and tourism sales to fall in the former British colony, which went into recession in October. Demonstrations have also steadily escalated in violence, with growing public hostility towards the city government and the police force.

Police used lethal force for the first time in October firing real ammunition and wounding a protester.

Tensions in the semi-autonomous Chinese city intensified even more this weekend, with furious protests fueled by anger over the death of a 22-year-old student.

LOOK : Hong Kong: More than 300 arrested over the weekend

Chow Tsz-lok, a computer science student at the University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong (HKUST), died Friday morning, days after falling and suffering a serious head injury in a parking lot near the protest scene.

Chow had been in a coma and with life support until Friday. There is no evidence that Chow was involved in the nearby protest the night of his injury.

Protesters and fellow students mourned his death throughout the weekend, with a vigil on Friday night and a memorial on Sunday. HKUST students left flowers and messages on sticky notes on campus, and vigil assistants placed flowers and lit candles.

Chow's death also sparked a wave of anger from anti-government protesters, who claim that police actions on the night of the accident resulted in temporary paramedics being unable to help him.

This anger overflowed during the protests of the weekend, with protesters in the streets calling for "revenge."

Police expressed "deep sadness" for Chow's death, but strongly denied the responsibility and maintained that at no time did the agents obstruct the assistance of ambulance or fire services. A police statement published on November 5 described the accusations as "certainly false."

According to police, ambulance teams arrived at the scene on November 4 approximately 19 minutes after they were called. Hong Kong ambulances agree to arrive at the scene of the incident within 12 minutes of a call.

Julia Hollingsworth and Isaac Yee contributed reporting.

Hong Kong

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2019-11-11

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