China: 35 Killed After Car Rams into Crowd at Sports Center

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Facts

  • At least 35 people were killed and 43 injured after a car rammed into a crowd outside a sports center in China's southern Zhuhai city on Monday.[1][2]
  • According to the Zhuhai police, the 62-year-old suspect was detained as he attempted to flee the scene and is currently hospitalized and in a coma following self-inflicted knife wounds.[3]
  • The suspect is under criminal detention and is being investigated for endangering public safety by dangerous means. He has been unable to be interrogated, however, due to the severity of his injuries.[4]
  • Police said that the driver appeared to be dissatisfied with the division of marital property in his divorce case, adding that those injured were not in life-threatening condition.[2][5]
  • Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping has called for 'all-out efforts' to treat the injured and severe punishment for the perpetrator.[6]
  • The incident happened on the eve of the Zhuhai Airshow, where China debuted the J-35A stealth fighter jet and its advanced Z-20 helicopter.[7][5]

Sources: [1]CGTN, [2]BBC News, [3]Al Jazeera, [4]XINHUA (a), [5]NBC, [6]XINHUA (b) and [7]Reuters.

Narratives

  • Pro-China narrative, as provided by XINHUA. Though this incident is extremely vicious, violent crime is rare in China. It appears that this particular driver was resentful over a divorce settlement. However, he is still receiving medical treatment and will be questioned by the police and severely punished by the law once he is fit to undergo interrogation.
  • Anti-China narrative, as provided by NPR Online News and The Diplomat. Violent crime isn't as rare as China would have us believe. Despite strict laws, there have been several such attacks in recent months, which Beijing has been quick to censor. This latest incident took place amid heightened security and highlights the PRC's failure to screen potential attackers and resolve conflicts and disputes promptly.