Police believe the murder of five people and arson at an apartment in Jinju, South Gyeongsan Province on Wednesday was premeditated.  

Jinju city police said on Thursday that the suspect, surnamed Ahn, bought gasoline from a gas station a few hours before the fire and had purchased two knives some three months ago. 

Police said Ahn is likely to have committed the crimes out of rage after suffering from delusions that he was persecuted. Police believe Ahn came to suffer such delusions after he stopped receiving treatment for schizophrenia. 

Ahn told police that someone had installed secret cameras in the apartment. He also said that the residents provoked him and that out of rage, he set the fire. 

Police have requested an arrest warrant for Ahn on the charges of arson, murder, attempted murder and causing bodily harm. The Jinju Branch of the Changwon District Court began reviewing the request on Thursday morning. 

As of Thursday morning, the total number of people who suffered injuries from the latest incident rose from 18 to 20.

Earlier on Wednesday at around 4:30 a.m., Ahn set fire to his home on the fourth floor of an apartment in Jinju and wielded knives at other residents who were evacuating from the fire.