Elderly dementia patient attacks caregiver with weapon on Chuseok morning

A man in his 70s with dementia attacked a caregiver with a weapon at a hospital in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of Chuseok, injuring the caregiver.

The Pyeongtaek Police Station said Friday it had booked the man, identified only as A, on charges of aggravated assault and is investigating the case.

A is accused of wielding a weapon against B, a male caregiver in his 50s, at around 7 a.m. Friday at the hospital where A was admitted, striking him in the abdomen. B is receiving treatment at the hospital and is not in critical condition, police said.

According to police, A, who suffers from severe dementia, has been unable to give a clear account of his motive for the attack.

Police placed A under emergency psychiatric hospitalization and are interviewing witnesses to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.