An off-duty cop who shot two patrolling constables, killing one and critically injuring the other, in Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday was suspected to have used the service revolver of a policeman who was killed with the weapon in 2001.

Off-duty policeman Tsui Po-ko, too, was killed in the gunfight in a subway linking Canton Road and Austin Road around 1 am.

The gun Tsui used to shoot constables Tsang Kwok-hang (33) and Sin Ka-keung (28) was believed to be Leung Shing-yan's, a source said, though police were investigating to confirm that.

The shoot-out ensued when the two constables intercepted Tsui because he had reportedly been acting suspiciously in the subway.

Sin was conscious at Queen Elizabeth Hospital last night but his condition was still serious. He has been shot in the face and legs. He couldn't talk so details of what actually happened in the subway are not yet known.

Tsui (35), stationed at Disneyland theme park, is suspected to have started the gunfight in which 10 shots were fired. Tsui, an otherwise outstanding cop with 15 years' service, once served in the same division (Lei Muk Shue in Tsuen Wan) that murdered constable Leung Shing-yan belonged to.

Leung was found dead in the fifth-floor corridor of a building where he had gone to check a "noise" complaint (see box) five years ago. He had been strangulated and shot five times with his own service revolver. That revolver was never found.

Scene at shoot-out site

Yesterday, when other police officers rushed to Tsim Sha Tsui on getting an SOS around 1:15 am, they found Tsang, Sin and Tsui lying unconscious. They also found three revolvers, including the one used by Tsui and some police documents on him.

Immediately, they rushed the three to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where Tsang was certified dead at 1:47 am and Tsui, at 1:45 am, a police spokesman said. Tsang, like teammate Sin, had been with the force for a decade.

The subway was closed to the public for most of the day for investigation.

Policemen, with some looking visibly sad, were patrolling around the subway with police dogs. Some even climbed on top of the subway to collect evidence.

Other officers in protective clothes from the Identification Bureau collected fingerprints from the subway and used chemical substances to collect other evidence.

Leung's fiance Cheung Chi-ling issued a statement, saying she would not comment on the case because investigation into his death and his missing revolver was yet to be completed. She mourned the officer's death and felt sorry for the injured, though.

Heavy blow to force

Commissioner for Police Dick Lee, who visited the shoot-out scene and the hospital, held a press briefing later yesterday.

Lamenting that such incidents could affect police morale, Lee said: "It's a serious blow to police. Officers feel sad about it. But it's our responsibility to protect the life and property of the public, and we will continue to fulfil that responsibility."

Chief Executive Donald Tsang, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee and Hospital Authority chairman Anthony Wu visited Sin yesterday. Tsang said the shoot-out had shocked the SAR government.

"We feel sad... about the incident. I hope the family of Sin can brace up and that Sin can recover soon. I believe police will investigate the case seriously and give an account to the public as early as possible," Tsang said.

Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue presented flowers to Sin, wishing him to recover soon.

Legislative Council security panel chairman James To asked policemen to be more alert while on patrol, even though they had been trained for that.

At the hospital, a police officer said Sin had a great sense of humour and was always willing to help his colleagues. "He has been lively and full of wit on his routine patrols and trusts his colleagues very much."

Family members of Tsang performed religious rites at the scene of the gun battle for his soul to rest in peace.

A woman resident living in a building near the subway said she had heard the gunshots at night. "So fierce were the sounds... that I thought triad members were fighting."

Tsui was interviewed by police magazine "Off Beat" in 2000 after securing 68 points in the promotion qualifying examination. His score was the second highest among 2,000 cops who had taken the test.

He had also taken part in a disciplinary officers' management course, run by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He had told his interviewer that police officers needed to gain more and more knowledge for improvement.

Tsui used to live in Tung Chung with his wife and daughter, the source said, and had no debts. The policeman, with a clean service record, was fluent in Putonghua.

Organized Crime and Triad Bureau officers inspected Tsui's home and detained a woman for questioning and confiscated a computer for investigation.

(HK Edition 03/18/2006 page2)