A horrific accident in China’s southern city of Zhuhai on Monday evening left at least 35 people dead after a driver intentionally rammed into a crowd at a sports center, Bloomberg reports.
The accident, described as the deadliest attack in China in at least a decade, has sent shockwaves through the nation.
The suspect, identified only as Fan, drove his vehicle into pedestrians at approximately 7:48 p.m. local time, according to the local public security bureau. CCTV reports indicate that Fan’s motive stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the property division following his divorce.
The driver was later apprehended by police, but is currently receiving treatment and unable to be questioned.
The death toll surpasses the previous deadliest attack in China, which occurred in March 2014 when knife-wielding assailants killed 29 people at a train station in Kunming.
The incident comes at a sensitive time for Zhuhai, which is currently hosting the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition until November 17th. President Xi Jinping has called for heightened public safety measures and social stability in the city.
Following the news, Xi Jinping, who is set to leave the country on Wednesday for international summits in Peru and Brazil, has ordered a full investigation into the incident. He also called for immediate efforts to treat the injured and demanded that the perpetrator be punished according to the law.
This tragic event has sparked widespread concern in China, where violent crime is relatively uncommon. The incident was one of the top trending topics on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform, on Tuesday evening.
The attack in Zhuhai adds to a recent rise in crime concerns in China. Earlier this year, the murder of a Japanese boy in Shenzhen led to tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.
China is currently trying to attract foreign business and tourists after years of pandemic-related isolation.
