At Least 35 Dead in Zhuhai as SUV Crashes into Group of People at Stadium
At least 35 people were killed and 43 others injured when a car rammed into a crowd of people exercising at a stadium in Zhuhai, China, on Monday.
The driver, a 62-year-old man named Fan, reportedly drove an SUV through a barrier and into the Zhuhai Sports Centre in what authorities have described as a “serious and vicious attack.” Among the injured were elderly individuals, teenagers, and children.
He was arrested while attempting to flee the scene but later fell into a coma due to self-inflicted wounds. As of now, he cannot be questioned due to his condition.
The attack occurred despite heightened security in the city, which is hosting a major civil and military airshow. Preliminary investigations suggest that the attack was motivated by Fan’s dissatisfaction with the outcome of a property settlement following his divorce. However, due to Fan’s coma, police have been unable to confirm further details. Eyewitnesses reported that several groups of people had gathered at the stadium for their regular walks when the car suddenly charged toward them, knocking down many of them in various parts of the running track.
Footage of the incident, which was posted online by witnesses, was largely removed by Chinese internet censors, although some videos continued to circulate. The footage showed paramedics and bystanders attending to the injured. One eyewitness described how their group had just completed a lap when the car sped toward them, causing chaos as it drove in a loop, injuring people across the stadium’s track. The attack’s link to the nearby Airshow China, taking place just 40 kilometers away, remains unclear, although the stadium’s entrances were reportedly closed during the event for security control.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed deep concern over the attack, instructing authorities to prioritize the treatment of the injured and ensure that the perpetrator is severely punished. The central government has dispatched a working group to assist with the investigation, which is still ongoing. The attack comes amid a growing number of violent incidents in China, including a stabbing spree in Shanghai in September, which left three people dead and several others injured.
