Kehinde Fajobi
A devastating hit-and-run attack killed 35 people and injured 43 others on Monday night at Zhuhai People’s Fitness Square in southern China.
Police confirmed on Tuesday that a small off-road vehicle drove into a group of people exercising outside the sports centre at 7:48 p.m. (local time).
The suspected driver, identified as a 62-year-old man surnamed Fan, was taken into custody after he attempted to flee the scene.
Authorities stated that Fan had inflicted severe injuries on himself with a knife while still inside the vehicle.
In a video allegedly of the aftermath of the incident showed more than 20 injured individuals lying on the ground as bystanders shouted “terrorist” and ambulances arrived to transport victims to nearby hospitals.
Hundreds of rescue personnel from Zhuhai and Guangdong province were dispatched, along with over 300 healthcare workers from five hospitals who worked through the night to save lives, reported Beijing Daily.
President Xi Jinping, responding to the tragedy, ordered “all-out efforts to treat the injured” and demanded severe punishment for Fan.
A central government team has been sent to provide guidance on handling the case, according to Chinese state television CCTV.
The attack, which has stirred widespread anger, led to thousands of critical comments on Chinese social media, though many were quickly censored after police announced the high death toll.
One user on the Weibo platform noted, “Zhuhai is one of the most relaxed, peaceful, and liveable cities in the country, and this tragic incident has left a painful memory that will be hard to erase for many years to come.”
The incident has brought renewed public attention to safety in public spaces, particularly in light of an increase in knife attacks in large cities across China.
Violent crime is rare in China due to strict security measures and gun laws, but recent attacks—including a knife assault in Beijing last month that left five injured—have raised concerns.