Hong Kong police have reclassified as murder the case of a 41-year-old foreign man who died after being assaulted in Central, the city’s main business district.
Police said the man was found unconscious with head injuries outside Connaught Place at 8:58 p.m. on Nov. 7 after a report that he had collapsed. He was taken to Queen Mary Hospital, where he was certified dead Thursday afternoon.
An initial investigation found that the man was suspected of having been assaulted with fists and feet before the attackers fled, police said. After his death, investigators reclassified the case from wounding to murder. A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
Police arrested two foreign men, aged 44 and 52, in Kowloon City and Wan Chai on Nov. 8 on suspicion of wounding. Both have been charged with one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The case was mentioned in Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Nov. 10. The two men remain in the custody of the Correctional Services Department. Police have not announced murder charges.
Local media, including The Standard and the South China Morning Post, identified the victim as a Filipino private driver. The reports said the confrontation followed a dispute among a group of acquaintances sheltering from rain near Jardine House. Police have not confirmed those details.
The Central District Crime Squad is leading the investigation. Police appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to contact investigators at 3660 1218.
The case comes five days after the assault and has drawn attention because it occurred in one of Hong Kong’s busiest commercial areas. Authorities have not released the victim’s full name, the precise location of the attack, or a suspected motive.
Under Hong Kong law, a murder charge requires proof that a person unlawfully killed another with intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. The reclassification signals that police now regard the death as potentially homicide-related, but it does not determine guilt.
Police said inquiries were continuing.
