Hong Kong police have released photographs of 14 people wanted in connection with the death of an elderly cleaner who was struck on the head by a brick during a clash between anti-government protesters and other residents last year.
The move came two months after police charged two teenagers with the murder of Luo Changqing, 70. In April, student Chan Yin-ting, 16, and Kelvin Lau Tsz-lung, who is 17 and unemployed, were taken to Tuen Mun Court, where they also faced charges of rioting and wounding with intent.
Luo was hurt when protesters and local residents clashed on Lung Wan Street outside Sheung Shui MTR station on November 13. He was taken unconscious to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin and died the next day.
Court documents said Chan and Lau carried out the killing, along with others, who remained unidentified. On Wednesday, Senior Inspector Wong Yiu-ming, of the New Territories North regional crime unit, said 14 others were wanted in connection with the case.
“We have reasons to believe the 14 suspects are involved in the case,” he said, adding that an HK$800,000 police reward for information still applied.
Wong, citing the ongoing legal proceedings as the reason, would not give further details about the suspects including their roles in the case.
The photos of the suspects, men and women mostly in masks, were posted on the force’s Facebook page. Wong urged anyone with information, such as the identities of the suspects, to contact officers on 3661 3348 or 5715 7626.
The anti-government protests, which were sparked by opposition to the now-withdrawn extradition bill, have rocked the city since last June. While the unrest eased during the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a resurgence of protests in recent weeks as the local coronavirus situation improves.
In protests last year, radicals destroyed traffic lights, set street fires, attacked police stations, vandalised rail facilities, shops and banks, and occupied universities. Extremist elements also attacked officers, hurling petrol bombs and bricks. Between June 2019 and last month, police arrested 8,981 people in relation to the protests.
