Hong Kong heroes who tried to save victims of knife double murder among those singled out in city leader John Lee’s first honours list
- Hero chef who tackled knife-wielding Plaza Hollywood double killer with two stools awarded the Bronze Medal for Bravery
- 59-strong Turkey earthquake disaster team given Commendation for Government and Public Service
Five Hong Kong Good Samaritans were commended by the government after they tried to stop the brutal double murder of two women in a shopping centre last month, including a have-a-go hero chef honoured for his attempt to tackle the knife-wielding attacker armed only with two stools.
As part of the 2023 Honours List announced each year on the July 1 handover anniversary, Ho Siu-fai was awarded a Bronze Medal for Bravery after he faced up to the man who stabbed the two women at the Plaza Hollywood shopping centre in Diamond Hill, where he works in a restaurant.
“The chief executive would like to thank [the] citizen who bravely confronted the suspect with a view to stopping the latter from continuing his assault on others,” a government spokesman said.
Ho displayed “an extraordinary level of gallantry and selflessness” for attacking the killer with a stool and guarding him “to prevent the suspect from fleeing from the scene until police officers arrived”, the citation said.
The chef had earlier declined to give his full name in interviews and insisted he was “a bit impulsive” and “definitely not a hero”.