SYDNEY – A Sydney martial arts instructor has been arrested for the alleged triple murder of a South Korean family living in the city after a child and a woman were found dead in a taekwondo centre, Australian police said on Feb 21.

The police arrested the 49-year-old man late on the evening of Feb 20, Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty told reporters.

The man, who is under police guard and expected to be charged with three murders, was being treated for apparent stab wounds to his chest, arms and stomach, according to a separate police statement.

The police said he arrived at Westmead Hospital in Sydney’s north-west just before midnight on Feb 19 and subsequently told officers he was attacked in the carpark of a supermarket.

In the course of investigating the man’s assault on Feb 20, the police found the body of a 39-year-old man in the suburb of Baulkham Hills in the city’s north-west with what appeared to be multiple fatal stab wounds.

Two hours later, the police found the bodies of a 41-year-old woman and seven-year-old boy at a martial arts centre in the nearby suburb of North Parramatta.

The police believe the family of three were originally from South Korea and lived in Baulkham Hills, and have contacted the country’s local consulate.

“They (the woman and child) were subjected to an assault. We’ll allege it was with murderous intent, and they died from their injuries,” Supt Doherty said.

He said the seven-year-old regularly took taekwondo lessons in the centre where his body was found and knew the instructor. He had been set to attend a session on Feb 19, the day he was allegedly killed.

The police said it was too early in the investigation to speak about motive. REUTERS