Hong Kong student, 17, arrested over assault on principal, 57, on first day of new school term
- Source says suspect believed to have acted out of anger, after being punished in last academic year over rule breach
- Incident occurred outside classroom at Shek Lei Catholic Secondary School on On Chit Street
Hong Kong police have arrested a 17-year-old student on suspicion of assaulting his principal in a Kwai Chung school on the first day of the new academic year.
A police spokesman on Tuesday said the boy was accused of “beating the victim with his hands”. A source familiar with the case added that a preliminary investigation suggested the suspect had acted out of anger.
The alleged attack occurred when the Form Three student and the 57-year-old principal met outside a classroom in Shek Lei Catholic Secondary School on On Chit Street at around 8.15am on Monday.
The teenager was detained over assault occasioning actual bodily harm and released on bail pending further investigation.
The principal suffered bruising to his head and was sent to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment.
The source said the teen had violated campus rules in the last academic year after he was found to have installed a game on the school’s iPad, which resulted in punishment from the principal.
A spokesman for the Education Bureau said it had contacted the school to understand the situation and would provide appropriate help, adding that a crisis management team on the campus was dealing with the case.
