A couple were just seconds away from stepping into their Tampines flat late on Monday when they were repeatedly slashed in a vicious attack that left a trail of broken flower pots and blood smeared along the corridor.
For almost five minutes, Mr Li Wencheng and his wife screamed for help and battled their unknown attacker, in full view of stunned neighbours living on the 13th floor of Block 716, Tampines Street 72.
Two neighbours eventually came to the couple's aid, helping them to pin the attacker to the ground while waiting for the police to arrive.
Mr Li, 39, suffered injuries to his head, face and left arm while his 42-year-old wife had slash wounds on her back.
According to the police, a 25-year-old man, believed to be suffering from mental problems, has been arrested "for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon" and investigations are in progress.
Both the couple and their attacker were taken to Changi General Hospital. While the attacker did not suffer any visible injuries, eyewitnesses said he appeared to be breathless.
Recounting the sudden attack from their hospital beds yesterday, a still shaken Mr Li told TODAY that he and his wife, Yuanxiu, were returning home from work at Tampines 1 shopping mall, where they run a stall selling fish soup at a foodcourt there.
The couple, who are from Guilin, China, but are now Singapore permanent residents, have been renting a room at the Tampines flat for about a year. They have two daughters, aged 17 and 9, who are studying in China.
Mr Li said he was about to unlock the gate when he noticed an angry man charging towards them from a staircase near their flat.
"Before I could react, he slashed me in the head and blood gushed out," said Mr Li.
His wife said she tried to block the attacker from knifing her husband again but ended up getting stabbed in the back. "He continued to try to slash us but all this time he did not say a word," said Mrs Li.
During the struggle with the couple, the attacker lost his grip of the knife and fell onto a row of flower pots, where he was subdued by Mrs Li and the two neighbours who sat on him.
The attacker is believed to be living in the same block. According to eyewitnesses, his mother rushed to the scene to speak to him. The mother, looking panicky, asked the man why he had committed the act, said a neighbour, Madam Joyce Gan, 76.
Although his attacker has been arrested, Mr Li said he and his wife are not taking any chances and plan to move out of their flat as soon as possible. "We've told everyone back in China how good and safe Singapore is - how do we explain to them now about what has happened to us?" Mr Li said
For almost five minutes, Mr Li Wencheng and his wife screamed for help and battled their unknown attacker, in full view of stunned neighbours living on the 13th floor of Block 716, Tampines Street 72.
Two neighbours eventually came to the couple's aid, helping them to pin the attacker to the ground while waiting for the police to arrive.
Mr Li, 39, suffered injuries to his head, face and left arm while his 42-year-old wife had slash wounds on her back.
According to the police, a 25-year-old man, believed to be suffering from mental problems, has been arrested "for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon" and investigations are in progress.
Both the couple and their attacker were taken to Changi General Hospital. While the attacker did not suffer any visible injuries, eyewitnesses said he appeared to be breathless.
Recounting the sudden attack from their hospital beds yesterday, a still shaken Mr Li told TODAY that he and his wife, Yuanxiu, were returning home from work at Tampines 1 shopping mall, where they run a stall selling fish soup at a foodcourt there.
The couple, who are from Guilin, China, but are now Singapore permanent residents, have been renting a room at the Tampines flat for about a year. They have two daughters, aged 17 and 9, who are studying in China.
Mr Li said he was about to unlock the gate when he noticed an angry man charging towards them from a staircase near their flat.
"Before I could react, he slashed me in the head and blood gushed out," said Mr Li.
His wife said she tried to block the attacker from knifing her husband again but ended up getting stabbed in the back. "He continued to try to slash us but all this time he did not say a word," said Mrs Li.
During the struggle with the couple, the attacker lost his grip of the knife and fell onto a row of flower pots, where he was subdued by Mrs Li and the two neighbours who sat on him.
The attacker is believed to be living in the same block. According to eyewitnesses, his mother rushed to the scene to speak to him. The mother, looking panicky, asked the man why he had committed the act, said a neighbour, Madam Joyce Gan, 76.
Although his attacker has been arrested, Mr Li said he and his wife are not taking any chances and plan to move out of their flat as soon as possible. "We've told everyone back in China how good and safe Singapore is - how do we explain to them now about what has happened to us?" Mr Li said
and I heard nezitiens are bashing this guy... come on Singaporeans, its quite funny right and take it lightly man... Life will be wonderful 
