A tragic domestic dispute has sent shockwaves through South Korea after a father fatally shot his own son and triggered a full-scale bomb scare that led to the evacuation of more than 100 residents. The shocking incident unfolded late on July 20 in a high-rise apartment in Songdo International City, a modern waterfront neighborhood in Incheon, just west of Seoul. Police received an emergency call reporting the shooting, and when officers arrived, they found a man in his 30s critically injured. He was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his wounds. The alleged shooter—his own father, a man in his 60s—fled the scene with a homemade firearm, sparking a tense three-hour manhunt.
Authorities eventually caught up with the suspect in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam district, about 30 kilometers away, and placed him under arrest early on July 21. But the ordeal didn’t end there. During police questioning, the man admitted he had also planted an explosive device at his home in Dobong-gu, northern Seoul. This revelation prompted the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to quickly evacuate 105 residents from the building. A bomb squad discovered and safely removed a makeshift explosive, rigged with accelerants and a timer—averting what could have been an even greater disaster.
As investigations continue, the case has gripped the nation, raising questions about access to homemade weapons and the mental health crisis behind such extreme actions.
