A shocking stabbing took place at a pizza restaurant in Seoul on Wednesday, September 3, where three people were killed. Such violent attacks are unusual in the normally safe South Korean capital.

The attack happened in Seoul’s Gwanak district. Police said the restaurant owner, who got into a dispute with contractors, stabbed three people before trying to hurt himself.

Police responded to a distress call around 11:00 am local time. The caller reportedly said: “Help me, I’ve been stabbed.”

The victims, two men and one woman, were rushed to the hospital but were pronounced dead.

The suspect, a man in his forties, tried to commit suicide at the scene but was stopped. Police said they will take him into custody depending on his medical condition.

South Korea is usually very safe, with a low murder rate of 1.3 per 100,000 people in 2021, far below the global average of six per 100,000.