A hit-and-run attack outside a sports center in Zhuhai, southern China, claimed 35 lives and left 43 others severely injured, police reported on Tuesday. The incident occurred Monday evening when a small off-road vehicle drove into a group of people exercising outside the center. The suspect, a 62-year-old man named Fan, reportedly attempted to flee before being detained at the scene; he had also inflicted knife injuries on himself. Police suggest Fan’s actions may have been motivated by distress over a recent divorce.
In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered urgent care for the injured and called for severe punishment of the perpetrator. State media reported extensive emergency efforts, with over 300 healthcare workers from multiple hospitals working tirelessly to treat the victims.
Videos of the scene showed numerous injured people, and social media saw an outpouring of anger, though many comments were quickly censored. While violent crime remains rare in China, recent knife attacks in major cities have heightened public concerns about safety.
This tragic event has taken place as Zhuhai hosts China’s largest annual air show, set to debut a new stealth fighter jet.
