After a day-long manhunt, South Korean soldiers have surrounded a man described as an "armed Army deserter" at an elementary school. The soldier allegedly went on a shooting spree Saturday, killing five of his colleges and injuring seven more.
"This man was known to have been on guard duty during the afternoon, and the shooting began just after 8 p.m. local time ... He was on the run for some eighteen hours in a massive manhunt with three to four thousand troops looking for him." (Via Al Jazeera)
His identity, along with those of the victims, has not been released. We only know he's a Sgt. and his last name is reportedly Lim. The army is reportedly trying to get the renegade soldier to serenader, even bringing in his parents to try and talk him down, but so far he has refused.
Lim reportedly guarded the border between South Korea and its hostile neighbor. A BBC correspondent explains he was allegedly having difficulty adapting to military life: "Guarding the demilitarised zone, which divides the two Koreas, is considered one of the toughest jobs for military conscripts."
"Because there are so many officers in the region at this point, people in this community have been asked not to leave their home... There have been accusations of bullying and lack of mental support in the South Korean Military." (Via CTV)
"The soldier was described to have been a person of interest in the past and the Defense ministry has already expressed its apology for this incident." (Via BBC)
A spokesperson told reporters, "We sincerely apologize for causing trouble to the people ... We pray that the soldiers who died from this unexpected accident rest in peace and offer our deep condolences to the families of those killed and injured." (Via Yonhap)
The soldiers involved in the standoff have reportedly gotten commands that if necessary, they should shoot to kill. Lim was set to be discharged in September. Those seven who were injured are expected to recover.
