A knife attack near a primary school in the Haidian district of Beijing on Monday afternoon left five people injured, including three children, AP reported quoting local police reports. None of the injuries are considered life-threatening.
Authorities identified a 50-year-old suspect, surnamed Tang, who was apprehended at the scene and is currently under investigation. The incident occurred close to a well-known primary school.
Videos circulating on social media depict two children on the ground, while another image shows a man with blood on his face being restrained by bystanders, AP reported. This incident adds to a troubling trend of knife attacks in China, particularly targeting school children.
Earlier in September, a tragic attack in Shenzhen resulted in the death of a 10-year-old Japanese student near his school. This followed another incident in June, where a woman and her child were injured at a school bus stop, and a Chinese woman who intervened was killed.
In early October, a separate knife attack in a Shanghai supermarket claimed three lives and injured 15 others. The suspect in that case, a 37-year-old man surnamed Lin, was detained shortly after the attack.
While China maintains strict gun control laws, incidents involving knives and homemade explosives have become more common. Authorities have noted an increase in such attacks, often attributing them to mental health issues.
In 2022, a stabbing spree at a Shanghai hospital injured 15 individuals, with the perpetrator expressing resentment toward society. This surge in violence has raised significant concerns among various communities, particularly those of foreign nationals living in China.