Customers walk through the Plaza Hollywood shopping mall in Hong Kong in this May 2, 2003 photo. (PHOTO / AFP)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday expressed sadness over the murder of two women at a shopping mall the previous night and extended his deep condolences to the victims' families.

Saying that police will spare no effort in investigating the case, he termed the incident as an individual case.

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Two women – aged 22 and 26 years – were killed in a stabbing incident at Plaza Hollywood shopping mall in Diamond Hill on Friday. Police arrested a 39-year-old man for murder at the scene. He is being detained for further inquiries.

I urge everyone in the community to stop sharing the videos, and to extend care to family members and friends.

John Lee, Chief Executive, HKSAR

Noting that people may feel uneasy and worried, especially as videos of the incident were widely circulated online, the CE said in a statement: “I urge everyone in the community to stop sharing the videos, and to extend care to family members and friends.”

He advised members of the public to seek professional support if they experience any emotional distress.

‘Brutal murder’

At about 5:15 pm on Friday, police received reports that two women were assaulted by a man with a knife in the shopping mall on 3 Lung Poon Street.

The two women were shopping on the third floor of the shopping mall when the incident took place, according to local media reports. Security camera footage showed the assailant suddenly stabbing one of the women from the back in front of a cosmetic shop.

Videos posted online after incident showed the man stabbing a woman from behind multiple times before the victim’s female companion pushed him back. The man continued the attack before turning the knife on the woman who intervened, media reports say.

Police rushed to the scene and found two women lying unconscious on the floor. “Sustaining multiple stab wounds, they were rushed to the United Christian Hospital,” the Hong Kong Police Force said in a statement.

The 26-year-old woman was certified dead at 6:06 pm while the 22-year-old woman was declared dead at 6:47 pm, added the statement.

A 12-inch-long knife was seized from the scene.

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Post-mortem examinations will be conducted later to ascertain the causes of their deaths, police added.

The Regional Crime Unit of Kowloon East is conducting an investigation into the incident.

The Social Welfare Department also urged the public not to share murder videos, which have gone viral on the internet.

It has advised people to seek professional support if they experience any emotional distress.