Man in Divorce Dispute Launches China’s Deadliest Attack in a Decade, 35 Killed
A 62-year-old man undergoing a difficult divorce settlement in southern China was responsible for what is now being described as the country’s deadliest public attack in a decade, leaving 35 dead and 43 injured.
The shocking incident occurred Monday evening in Zhuhai, a city near the southern coastline, when the man drove his vehicle into a crowd exercising at an outdoor sports center.
Local police identified the driver only by his surname, Fan, stating that he rammed his vehicle into the crowd at around 7:48 p.m. Initial investigations revealed that Fan had been embroiled in a long-standing legal battle with his ex-wife over asset distribution following their divorce. Frustrated with the outcome of the divorce proceedings, Fan reportedly sought retribution.
Local police stated that Fan attempted to flee the scene after the attack but was intercepted by officers. When they found him, Fan was reportedly attempting to harm himself with a knife inside the vehicle.
“Due to severe self-inflicted neck injuries, Fan is currently unconscious, still undergoing emergency treatment and unable to be interrogated,” police said in a statement.
Also Read: China’s Xi Jinping Announces $50 Billion Financial Boost for Africa at Landmark Summit
Chinese leader Xi Jinping responded to the mass killing with strong condemnation, describing the incident as “extremely vicious” and calling for Fan to be “severely punished in accordance with the law,” according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The death toll marks the highest fatality count from a public attack in China since a series of violent incidents in the Xinjiang region in 2014. The recent incident has shaken a society that is unaccustomed to mass violence, partly due to the country’s strict gun control laws and extensive surveillance systems.
China, with its population of 1.4 billion, typically has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the world. However, reports indicate that the country is witnessing a series of violent incidents.
Just last month, a 50-year-old man was arrested in Beijing after a stabbing near an elementary school injured five people, including children. In September, three people were killed in a knife attack in a Shanghai supermarket, while another incident in Shandong Province saw a bus crash into a crowd outside a school, killing 11.
