Hong Kong police offer HK$800,000 reward for information to find killer of cleaner hit by brick during clash between protesters and Sheung Shui residents

Bounty is the highest offered by police on a list of reward notices on the force’s website. Victim Luo Changqing, 70, was taking pictures when fight broke out between two groups outside North District Town Hall

Police are offering an HK$800,000 (US$102,564) reward for information on the killer of a 70-year-old cleaner who was hit on the head by a brick during a clash between anti-government protesters and residents in the Hong Kong border town of Sheung Shui last month.

The bounty is the highest offered by police on a list of reward notices on the force’s website.

Luo Changqing, 70, was taking pictures when a fight broke out between the two groups on Lung Wan Street outside North District Town Hall at 11.52am on November 13, according to police.

The dispute erupted when more than 20 black-clad protesters turned up and argued heatedly with residents who were clearing bricks that demonstrators had left on the street earlier.

Online video footage showed the two groups hurling bricks at each other and Luo being hit on the head and falling to the ground.

The incident lasted for about a minute before the black-clad gang opened umbrellas to defend themselves and retreated. Police searched the area, but no arrests were made at the scene.

A reward notice posted on the force’s website on Tuesday said Luo passed by the carriageway outside North District Town Hall at the time of the incident.

According to police, an unknown person threw a hard object which hit Luo’s head and he was certified dead in hospital at 10.51pm the next day.

“Any member of the public who has information related to the crime or information about the identity or whereabouts of the culprit should contact police without delay,” the reward notice said.

Anyone with information, photo or video related to the crime should contact officers on 3661 3348 or 3661 3369. Detectives from the New Territories North regional crime unit were handling the case.

According to the force’s website, the second-highest reward offered by police is HK$600,000 for information leading to the arrest of three suspected Wo Shing Wo triad members over the death of Lee Tai-lung, the Tsim Sha Tsui faction leader of the Sun Yee On triad.

Lee was hit by a car outside the Shangri-La hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui and hacked to death in August 2009. Suspects Leung Kwok-chung, 49, alias Man Sun-chung; Ng Yik-tung, 31, known as Ng Tung; and So Kai-man, 31, alias So Kai, are still on the run.