PUBLISHED ONJuly 17, 2026 12:49 AMBYSean LerA 48-year-old man was apprehended following a nearly three-hour standoff with police after he locked himself and his mother in their Clementi HDB flat.
The incident happened in a fifth-floor unit of Block 731 Clementi West Street 2 at about 7.50pm on Wednesday (July 15).
Shin Min Daily News reported that Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) rescuers were positioned at the fourth to sixth floors of the block, and an inflatable safety life pack was set up on the ground floor.
At about 10.45pm, SCDF Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) officers deployed nets from the unit above.
About 15 minutes later, the man, who was dressed in blue shirt and black shorts was led away to a waiting police car with his hands cuffed to his back. The man appeared to be cooperative.
Police officers from the Special Operations Command and an ambulance left the scene shortly after.
A resident, surnamed Huang (transliteration), told Shin Min that the man is believed to be jobless and has been relying on his mother's income as a cleaner.
He added that several persons, whom he believe to be counsellors, were seen at the unit after 6pm, but the man refused to open the door.
By about 8pm, police officers started arriving at the scene.
Another resident recalled hearing the man swear as he was being apprehended.
Others say the man appeared to have mental health issues and would frequently scream and shout at home, adding that while they empathised with his condition, the disturbance still affected neighbours.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police stated they received a call for assistance at about 7.50pm.
Officers responding to the call established that the 48-year-old had locked himself in that flat and could pose a danger to himself.
They added that officers from the Special Operations Command, Crisis Negotiation Unit and SCDF also responded to the incident and that their officers managed to enter the unit at about 10.45pm.
SCDF told AsiaOne they deployed the safety life pack as a precautionary measure, adding that a person was assessed by a paramedic but declined to be taken to the hospital.
The man is being apprehended under Section 7 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act.
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