[On the Scene] "At Such a Young Age..." Mourners Gather at Site of Gwangju High School Girl's Fatal Stabbing

Random Attack by Man in His 20s Sparks Outrage and Despair with Statement: "Life Was Not Fun"


Police Consider Psychopathy Test and Public Disclosure of Identity... Profilers Deployed

On the morning of the 7th, under the warm sunlight, white chrysanthemums and yellow ribbons lined up quietly in front of the scene of the incident in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. On the sidewalk where, in the early morning of May 5, a teenage girl on her way home was fatally stabbed with a weapon, citizens had left drinks, snacks, and handwritten letters. Some people sat crouched in front of the bouquets, bowing their heads for a long time, while other passersby slowed their pace, gazing at the site.

Short messages such as "I'm sorry," "Don't be in pain there," and "I hope this never happens again" were written on the yellow ribbons. The pedestrian path near the university, where many students and residents frequently pass by, has remained a memorial space for the second consecutive day.

On the morning of the 7th, a citizen laid chrysanthemum flowers at the scene of the incident in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, mourning the deceased high school girl. Photo by Song Bohyun

Youngsun Cho (28), a resident of the Cheomdan District, also placed a chrysanthemum and could not leave the spot for some time. Cho said, "I came after seeing the news because I felt heartbroken," adding, "It weighs heavily on my heart to think of a student who passed away before she could even begin to pursue her dreams at such a young age."

A woman in her 60s who lives nearby also said, "This is a road that many students usually take, so I am shocked that something like this happened," and added, "I hope nothing like this happens again."

Sukwoong Kim, Deputy Head of Gwangsan-gu District Office in Gwangju, who visited the scene that day, commented, "I am sorry that we could not protect you as a member of society."

On the morning of the 7th, yellow ribbons commemorating the victims were tied around the scene of the incident in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Bohyun Song

According to the police, Mr. Jang (24), who was apprehended, is suspected of fatally stabbing a 17-year-old high school sophomore, referred to as Ms. A, with a weapon at approximately 12:11 a.m. on May 5 on the sidewalk near a university in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, as she was on her way home.

He is also accused of wielding the weapon against another 17-year-old high school student, referred to as Mr. B, who rushed to the scene after hearing Ms. A's screams, inflicting serious injuries. Fortunately, it has been reported that Mr. B's life is not in danger.

According to the police and other sources, during questioning, Jang stated that he targeted random passersby for his crime. The police determined that Jang had been wandering near his residence with two kitchen knives for two days prior to the crime, searching for a victim. Of the two knives, one was actually used in the crime, and the other remained unopened in its packaging at the time of the incident.

The initial autopsy report from the National Forensic Service indicated that Ms. A's cause of death was a "stab wound to the neck," meaning she died from being stabbed in the neck with a sharp object.

So far, Jang has reportedly repeated statements to the effect of, "Life was not fun. While contemplating suicide, I decided to commit the crime." He is not known to have made any statements regarding whether he was imitating similar previous incidents.

After the crime, it was found that Jang washed his bloodstained clothes at an unmanned laundromat. In the police investigation, he reportedly said, "I went into the laundromat to take a break."

The police have applied for an arrest warrant for Jang on charges of murder and attempted murder. Considering that Jang committed the crime against unfamiliar high school students without a specific motive, the police plan to conduct a psychopathy assessment (PCL-R) after the arrest warrant is issued. Additionally, they have deployed profilers and requested digital forensic analysis of Jang's mobile phone to analyze his motive and psychological state. The process of forming a committee to review the disclosure of his identity has also begun.

On the morning of the 7th, chrysanthemums, drinks, handwritten letters, and other items left by citizens were placed next to the sidewalk at the scene of the incident in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Bohyun Song

So far, the investigation has found that Jang was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crime. No direct link to the crime has been identified regarding any history of mental illness treatment or his family environment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.