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Police gun down blackmailer at karaoke bar

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-06 15:43

HANGZHOU -- Chinese police have shot dead one man and detained four others after they allegedly attempted to start a protection racket in a karaoke bar in the eastern city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

The five suspects took a group of people hostage at knife-point in the unnamed bar in Wenzhou's Lucheng District, Sunday night, demanding the managers pay a "protection fee" every month, said a spokesman with the district police.

They had forced the bar managers to pay 5,000 yuan (US$735.29) before police arrived, the spokesman said.

They refused to drop their weapons when police ordered them to do so and attempted to escape with hostages, said the spokesman, and they attacked police after officers fired warning shots into sky.

"Police officers had to shoot them to ensure the safety of the public," he said.

One suspect was shot dead and two were wounded and taken to hospital. They were described as stable on Monday, he said.

Another two suspects fled, but were found and detained by police Monday morning, he said.

An initial investigation showed the five came from the neighboring Jiangsu Province. Police also confiscated five 60-cm long knives.

Police are continuing their investigation, the spokesman added.