At least 35 people have been killed in a horrific car attack at a stadium in Zhuhai, southern China, marking one of the deadliest acts of public violence in the country in decades.
The shocking incident took place on Monday evening when a 62-year-old man, identified as Mr. Fan, drove his car into a group of people exercising at the Zhuhai Sports Center.
The attack, described as “serious and vicious” by local authorities, also left 45 people injured, including elderly individuals and children.
Police say Mr. Fan, who was reportedly upset over a divorce settlement, ran over people on the sports track before crashing his car.
Authorities confirmed that he was arrested while attempting to flee the scene, but he is now in a coma due to self-inflicted wounds.
The attack has sparked widespread outrage across China, with President Xi Jinping vowing to punish the perpetrator severely and urging efforts to care for the injured.
Details about the victims have not yet been made public, but mourners gathered at the stadium on Tuesday, placing flowers and other tributes at the site of the tragedy.
The Zhuhai Sports Center, a popular venue for locals, features a running track loop where the victims were exercising when they were suddenly struck by the car.
Witnesses at the scene described a chaotic and terrifying scene. One witness, a man named Mr. Chen, told Chinese news magazine Caixin that he and his group had just finished a lap around the track when the car sped toward them, “knocking down many people.”
Local police released a statement on Tuesday confirming that their preliminary investigation indicated that Mr. Fan’s actions were triggered by a dispute over property following his divorce.
The police also noted that Mr. Fan had not yet been questioned due to his condition.
This attack is one of several violent incidents in China in recent months. Though mass violence of this nature is rare, incidents like the mass stabbing in Shandong earlier this year, which killed at least 21 people, have raised concerns.
The Chinese government has moved quickly to censor reports and videos of Monday’s attack. Many witness videos circulating on social media have already been removed, and local media coverage has been heavily restricted.
Still, some footage remains online, showing dozens of victims lying on the ground, some receiving medical attention from paramedics and bystanders.
In a typical response, Chinese authorities have also removed videos and restricted information linked to this high-profile crime.
This act of public violence comes amid growing reports of similar incidents in China. In October, a knife attack at a prominent school in Beijing left five people injured, and in September, a man went on a stabbing spree at a supermarket in Shanghai, killing three people.
Also in September, a 10-year-old Japanese student was fatally stabbed near his school in southern China.
The brutal car attack in Zhuhai also coincides with increased security in the city, which is currently hosting a major military airshow. The Zhuhai Airshow kicked off on Tuesday, and top Russian defense officials, including former defense minister Sergei Shoigu, are in attendance.
The stadium, located about 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the airshow venue, had several entrances and exits closed off during the airshow for security purposes.
In light of the attack, Japan’s embassy in China issued a warning to its citizens to avoid speaking Japanese loudly in public, as tensions surrounding public safety have risen.
