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Elderly man dies after beer brawl
Fight breaks out after 70-year-old takes a swig from another's mug
By Kimberly Spykerman
AN ELDERLY man died of injuries yesterday after he was involved in a brawl with another man over a mug of beer.
The incident happened in front of the dinner crowd at the People's Park food centre.
According to eyewitnesses, the fight broke out after the 70-year-old man allegedly stole a swig from the other man's mug of beer.
Police were called to the scene at 8pm, where they found the elderly man unconscious and sprawled on the floor. He had suffered injuries to the back of his head, and was pronounced dead shortly after.
Police have classified the case as unnatural death and are investigating. Foul play has not been ruled out.
A hawker assistant in her 50s, who wanted to be known only as Madam Tan, told The Straits Times that the elderly man had sat down at the table of another customer, who had stepped away to have a smoke. He then took a swig from the mug of beer on the table.
According to Madam Tan, the other man became angry when he returned to find the elderly man there. 'He asked him to go outside to fight,' she said in Mandarin.
She added that the elderly man, who appeared to be slightly drunk, had followed the other man.
Another eyewitness, a 33-year-old lawyer who declined to be named, said he had just walked into the food centre with a friend when he saw the younger man throwing a punch at the old man's head.
'The old man fell down and there was a loud bang... There was blood on the back of his head. I was stunned,' he said, adding that the other man had simply walked away after that. He immediately called for an ambulance while trying to chase after the other man. But he soon lost him in the crowd.
No one has been arrested so far.
Hawkers at the food centre said the old man lived nearby and was a familiar face there. Because he did not have much money, some of them used to treat him to a beer every now and then.
Late last night, a man and a woman, believed to be his relatives, showed up at the scene looking distraught. They declined to speak to reporters when approached. Anyone with more information can call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000.
[email protected]
Fight breaks out after 70-year-old takes a swig from another's mug
By Kimberly Spykerman
AN ELDERLY man died of injuries yesterday after he was involved in a brawl with another man over a mug of beer.
The incident happened in front of the dinner crowd at the People's Park food centre.
According to eyewitnesses, the fight broke out after the 70-year-old man allegedly stole a swig from the other man's mug of beer.
Police were called to the scene at 8pm, where they found the elderly man unconscious and sprawled on the floor. He had suffered injuries to the back of his head, and was pronounced dead shortly after.
Police have classified the case as unnatural death and are investigating. Foul play has not been ruled out.
A hawker assistant in her 50s, who wanted to be known only as Madam Tan, told The Straits Times that the elderly man had sat down at the table of another customer, who had stepped away to have a smoke. He then took a swig from the mug of beer on the table.
According to Madam Tan, the other man became angry when he returned to find the elderly man there. 'He asked him to go outside to fight,' she said in Mandarin.
She added that the elderly man, who appeared to be slightly drunk, had followed the other man.
Another eyewitness, a 33-year-old lawyer who declined to be named, said he had just walked into the food centre with a friend when he saw the younger man throwing a punch at the old man's head.
'The old man fell down and there was a loud bang... There was blood on the back of his head. I was stunned,' he said, adding that the other man had simply walked away after that. He immediately called for an ambulance while trying to chase after the other man. But he soon lost him in the crowd.
No one has been arrested so far.
Hawkers at the food centre said the old man lived nearby and was a familiar face there. Because he did not have much money, some of them used to treat him to a beer every now and then.
Late last night, a man and a woman, believed to be his relatives, showed up at the scene looking distraught. They declined to speak to reporters when approached. Anyone with more information can call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000.
[email protected]
