Man with Mental Illness Stabs Police Officer While Being Taken to Hospital
A 37-year-old man with mental illness stabbed a police officer in the abdomen during a welfare check in Phatthalung Province on April 28, as officers attempted to take him to the hospital at his mother's request.
On April 28, 2025, police officers from Muang Phatthalung Police Station responded to a report of a man with mental illness acting erratically inside a home in Chai Buri Subdistrict, Muang District, Phatthalung Province. The man's mother requested assistance in transporting her 37-year-old son to Phatthalung Hospital for treatment.
When officers arrived, they found the patient barricaded in his bedroom refusing to open the door. At the mother's request, officers attempted to break down the door. As they entered, the patient suddenly burst out and lunged at Police Officer Somphorn Ketdaeng, the substation chief, stabbing him once in the left abdomen beneath his protective vest. Officers immediately transported Somphorn to Phatthalung Hospital, where his condition was initially reported as stable. Other police units successfully restrained the suspect without further incident.
The man's mother tearfully explained that her son has suffered from mental illness for years with frequent episodes requiring police intervention. Although the family has continuously sought treatment, the high costs of psychiatric care have made it impossible to afford proper care due to their financial hardship. She stated that the previous night, her son isolated himself in his room, speaking to himself and showing unusual behavior, prompting her to call for help. She had hoped to have him admitted to the hospital, but when officers entered, he apparently panicked as his condition worsened, leading him to attack the officer.
Major Sompracha Kankanant, superintendent of Muang Phatthalung Police Station, confirmed that the suspect is a psychiatric patient currently undergoing legal proceedings. Authorities are coordinating with relevant agencies for his continued care and treatment.
