Why Did Korean Police Wait 70 Minutes While a Man Bled Out?

A Birthday Party Turned Nightmare

Can you imagine preparing a birthday celebration for your father, only to have him pull out a gun and shoot you in front of your own children?

That's exactly what happened on the evening of July 20, 2025, in Songdo, Incheon—one of South Korea's most modern residential areas. A 62-year-old man identified as Mr. A arrived at his 33-year-old son's apartment around 7 PM to celebrate his birthday. The family gathered: the son, his wife, their two young children, and even a tutor were present for what should have been a joyful occasion.

But around 9:23 PM, Mr. A excused himself, claiming he needed to visit a convenience store. Instead, he went to his rental car parked nearby and retrieved a homemade shotgun he had crafted himself. He returned to the 33rd-floor apartment and, without warning, fired two shots of metal pellets directly at his son's chest. The son collapsed immediately as family members fled to lock themselves in a bedroom, desperately calling 112—Korea's emergency number.

The 70-Minute Wait That Sparked National Outrage

Here's where the story gets even more disturbing. The daughter-in-law's frantic 911 call came in at 9:31 PM: My father-in-law shot my husband with a gun. Please save him.

Police issued a Code Zero—the highest emergency alert—and patrol cars arrived at the building within 10 minutes. But then… nothing happened. Officers stood outside, waiting for the Special Weapons and Tactics team to arrive. The SWAT team didn't show up until 10:16 PM, and they didn't breach the apartment door until 10:43 PM—a full 72 minutes after the initial call.

By that time, the shooter had long fled. CCTV footage later revealed that Mr. A calmly walked out of the building at 9:41 PM—just 10 minutes after the 911 call. He drove to Seoul, where he was finally arrested around 12:20 AM. Meanwhile, the victim lay bleeding inside the apartment for over an hour before paramedics could reach him. He was transported to the hospital at 10:53 PM but was pronounced dead shortly after.

Why Did Police Wait So Long?

Public fury erupted online as details emerged. On Korean community platforms like Naver, Daum, and DC Inside, netizens expressed disbelief and anger. Comments ranged from What were the police doing for 70 minutes? to If they'd checked the CCTV immediately, they could have caught him and saved the victim.

Police defended their response, stating they believed the suspect was still inside with a loaded weapon and that rushing in could have endangered the family members who were hiding. A police spokesperson explained: Based on the initial report, we determined the suspect was likely inside the residence. We prioritized protecting the hostages and waited for specialized tactical support.

However, critics pointed out glaring failures: the commanding officer responsible for coordinating the response didn't arrive at the scene until 58 minutes after the Code Zero was issued, and officers failed to review security camera footage until over an hour had passed. Had they checked the building's CCTV promptly, they would have seen the suspect leaving and could have pursued him immediately while also entering to help the victim.

A Calculated Plan and a Disturbing Motive

As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a chilling level of premeditation. Mr. A had been preparing for this attack for some time. In his Seoul apartment, police found 15 containers filled with flammable materials—paint thinner, cleaning agents, milk jugs—along with detonators and timing devices. He had constructed at least 10 additional homemade firearms, all discovered in his vehicle.

But why? Initial reports speculated about financial troubles or family disputes, but police later concluded that Mr. A was driven by delusion and isolation. He had been receiving about 6.4 million won monthly from his ex-wife and son, but those payments had recently stopped. According to investigators, he developed a paranoid belief that his ex-wife and son were conspiring against him, leading him to plan not just his son's murder but potentially a larger massacre. Prosecutors also revealed he intended to kill his daughter-in-law and grandchildren, but the crude homemade gun malfunctioned after the initial shots.