Woman armed with knife arrested after tense standoff and attacking police in Sheung Shui shop

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A 32-year-old woman, surnamed Lau, was arrested in the early hours of Saturday after a dramatic knife-wielding confrontation at a cow offal shop in Sheung Shui.

Police received a report at 12.14am this morning from staff at a cow offal shop in Lung Sum Avenue claiming Lau was emotionally agitated, brandishing a knife, and threatening employees over a minor dispute.

Officers arrived to find her refusing to cooperate, initially waving scissors before switching to a 30-centimeter vegetable knife.

Viral videos showed her slashing repeatedly at police shields as armed officers in helmets and stab-resistant vests urged her to surrender.

Front-door officers blocked her attacks while colleagues entered through the back, subduing and pinning her to the ground amid shocked onlookers.

Lau also allegedly damaged a mobile phone with the knife.

She sustained hand injuries and was taken conscious to North District Hospital.

Lau faces charges of possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage, and assault on police officers. It is understood that she is mentally unstable. 

She remains in custody as investigations continue by the Tai Po police district. The case is classified as a mentally disordered person found.

An employee stated that a phone used as an Octopus card payment machine was confiscated, possibly as evidence, and Octopus card payments are temporarily suspended for the day.