SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Homicide authorities in Sydney are looking into a shocking triple murder incident that tragically claimed the lives of a 7-year-old boy and his parents. The suspected perpetrator, Kwang Kyung Yoo, a local taekwondo instructor and owner of Lion’s Taekwondo and Martial Arts Academy, has been detained pending charges of three counts of murder, as confirmed by Homicide Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty.
The grim turn of events came to light after Yoo admitted himself to a hospital on Monday evening, presenting with slash and stab wounds on his chest, stomach, and arms. Yoo relayed to authorities that these injuries were a result of an altercation in a supermarket parking lot.
Yoo, known as Master Lion to his students, allegedly murdered student Min Cho, aged 7, and his mother Min Cho, aged 41, following a class at his dojo. Yoo then reportedly drove to the Cho family residence where he killed Steven Cho, the family patriarch. Although the victims’ names have not officially been released by police, media sources have identified them.
The connection between the accused and the victims goes beyond the taekwondo classes, but specific details are yet to be verified by the police.
Initial reports paint a dreadful picture of the incident, with sources alleging that Min Cho and her son were the victims of strangulation, while Steven Cho was fatally stabbed. Authorities are still working to ascertain how Yoo received his wounds.
With investigations ongoing, Superintendent Doherty’s statement underlined the loss faced by the community. “We’ve just lost three people from one family who’ve had their lives taken away,” he said.
Investigations so far indicate that the actions were sudden and without forewarning. Detectives have also indicated that Yoo, who had undergone surgery for his wounds, is fully aware of his arrest.
In the state of New South Wales, Australia, the maximum penalty someone convicted of murder could face is a life term in prison, with a non-parole duration of 20 years for killing an adult and 25 years for murdering a child.