China: A tragic incident took place in China's Guangdong province on Monday, as a kindergarten stabbing claimed the lives of six individuals, including three children. Authorities have arrested a 25-year-old man identified as Wu in connection with the attack that occurred in Lianjiang town. The victims were identified as a teacher, two parents, and three children, while one person sustained injuries.
Accused Arrested
The local police swiftly apprehended the suspect, just half an hour after the assault took place. The authorities have classified the incident as an intentional assault. Security measures have been implemented in the vicinity of the kindergarten, with access to the area restricted.
Video Shows Horrific Ordeal
Videos depicting the attack began circulating on Chinese social media platforms, causing a wave of shock and outrage among netizens. The accused can be seen with a weapon in his hand in the video. Bodies of the victims can also be seen lying in a pool of blood depicting the severity of the attack.
This incident is unfortunately part of a recurring pattern in China, where firearm possession is prohibited. Instead, the country has witnessed a concerning series of knife attacks, including one case where a chemical spray was employed to harm 50 children in a classroom.
History of School Attacks
Since 2010, the BBC recorded at least 17 knife attacks occurring in Chinese schools, colleges, and universities, with 10 of them transpiring between 2018 and 2023. The list of horrific incidents includes an assault in August of last year in Jiangxi province, where a knife-wielding attacker killed three people and injured six at a kindergarten.
Another distressing event unfolded in April 2021, when a mass stabbing in Beiliu City resulted in the deaths of two children and injuries to 16 others. Furthermore, a knife attack at a kindergarten in Chongqing in October 2018 left 14 children wounded.