HONG KONG – Criminal charges were filed on Thursday against the18 – year-old Hong Kong student who was shot by a police officeras pro-democracy protests hit a new level of violence this week.
Police told NBC News the student, identified as Tsang Chi-kin, was charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer as tens of thousands of black-clad protesters took to the streets of the semiautonomous territory on Tuesday.
Themonths-long pro-democracy proteststhat have gripped Hong Kong began in June in reaction to a now withdrawn extradition bill but have since morphed with calls of greater police accountability and an investigation intoallegations of excessive use of force.
The shooting Tuesday happened amid one of themost violent days of the demonstrations. Marked the first time a protester was struck by live ammunition, the shooting has inflamed anger against police.
Police officials defended the officer on Wednesday, saying his life was in imminent danger and he fired as the teen struck him with a metal rod. Queen Elizabeth hospital confirmed with NBC News that Tsang’s condition was stable after surgery and that he was recovering in the intensive care unit.
A total of 269 people, ranging from ages 12 to 71, were arrested on the day, police said. Cases began to be heard in Shantin court Thursday.
Thousands of people, including Tsang’s fellow students at a Hong Kong college, rallied Wednesday to demand police accountability for the shooting.
Veta Chan reported from Hong Kong and Linda Givetash from London.
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