Arrest warrant for fratricide requested

Kwangju police Tuesday sought an arrest warrant for a 14-year-old boy, identified only as Yang, on charges of killing his own brother, a primary school student.

According to police, the suspect stabbed his younger brother to death on the afternoon of Mar. 5, while his parents were away. After the murder, Yang allegedly traveled to Kochang, North Cholla Province, to look for another murder target but failed to kill his intended victim.

Based on the fact that Yang sent e-mails to his friends on March 4 announcing the planned murders, police are treating the killing as premeditated.

Yang was reportedly obsessed with death and murder and enjoyed violent computer games such as ``Bio Hazard.`` He allegedly indicated his desire to commit murder on several occasions since creating his own Internet homepage on the subject last June.

Police plan to conduct an autopsy on the murder victim and inspect the crime site within two to three days, as soon as the arrest warrant for Yang is issued.

Police said Yang had no record of mental illness but added that upon his capture, he would be subject to a month-long investigation of his mental state. Based on the results of the study and the outcome of any trial, Yang would either be hospitalized or sent to a juvenile reform school.

[Yonhap]