A Mass Murder In China

Little Explosions China A knife attack in eastern China left eight people dead and injured 17 others over the weekend, less than a week after the country was shaken by its deadliest mass killing in a decade, NBC News reported. Authorities said Saturday’s attack took place at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Jiangsu province. The suspect was a 21-year-old man with the last name Xu, who was arrested at the scene. Police said Xu confessed to the crime and that he acted “out of anger.” They added that the suspect was a former student at the school and hadn’t received his diploma after failing an exam, and was angry over how much his internship paid. The weekend attack came days after a 62-year-old man rammed his car into a crowd in China’s southeastern city of Zhuhai, killing 35 people and injuring more than 43 others in what observers called the country’s deadliest mass killing in nearly 10 years. In recent months, there has been a spate of similar violent attacks across China. Last month, ahead of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, a knife attack at a Shanghai supermarket left three dead and 15 injured. In September, a 10-year-old Japanese boy was fatally stabbed on his way to school in Shenzhen. Analysts told the Financial Times that the recent incidents come as China, which has a low rate of violent crime, is grappling with rising social tensions amid slow economic growth, job losses and rising youth unemployment. It also has prompted soul-searching among its citizens over mental health and censorship over such incidents. Chinese censors quickly suppressed information about the attacks and removed footage from internet platforms. Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a rare personal statement regarding the Zhuhai attack, urging officials nationwide to enhance risk prevention efforts “at the source.” Observers interpreted the comments as highlighting the government’s sensitivity to social stability and its intent to tighten public controls. Share this story