Triad Dispute Behind Bar Murder: Police

Police said they believe a fatal brawl at a Tsim Sha Tsui bar in the small hours of Tuesday that killed one employee was related to a dispute between triad gangs.

Police are looking for a number of people with known triad backgrounds who might be involved.

There were earlier reports that the case had to do with patrons being asked to leave the bar at midnight as part of the government's anti-epidemic measures, but officers said in a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon that there was no evidence of that.

The force said according to its initial investigation, there was a heated argument between two groups of people believed to belong to rival triad gangs at the bar on Austin Road around closing time.

It quickly escalated into a full-on brawl, with people attacking each other with hard objects.

Four bar employees, aged between 34 and 49, were injured. One of them, a 36-year-old man, was later pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The case has been classified as murder and wounding.