A tragic accident occurred on Monday in the city of Zhuhai, south China, when a 62-year-old driver drove his car into people exercising in a sports center. At least 35 people were killed in the tragic accident and 43 others were injured. The emergency services quickly responded to the scene.
According to police reports, upon identification of the surname of the family of the driver Fan himself, he is already detained, but the case is still unclear if it’s a crime or an accident, and the motives behind this sad incident are being investigated.
The tragedy came just a day before the Zhuhai Airshow event organized by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-which started on Tuesday. The terrible incident already gets much attention in this regard because the city has prepared for the major military air show.
Shocking Videos and Social Media Coverage
More gruesome videos emerged after the attack, littering social media with the aftermaths of the assault. Image credits: Firefighters giving people CPR as they evacuate crowds from the area. News blogger and dissident Li Ying, popularly known as Teacher Li of X shares this video footage of dozens of people sprawled on the running path at the sports center. In one poignant moment, a woman is heard exclaiming, “My foot is broken”.
The videos circulating the country, especially from the incident around Xiangzhou sports center, revealed chaotic scenes and the depth of injuries. The sports center, which frequently hosts hundreds of residents to run, play soccer, and engage in social dancing, is closed after the incident and will remain closed indefinitely.
Censorship of Incident and Media Silence Yet Chinese authorities have moved fast to limit coverage of the event. Articles carrying specifics of the attack local media published on Monday night seem to have been taken down quickly and only a few posts can be noticed on Weibo, China’s social network site, about the event, but with vague imagery or context.
Recent Chinese Attacks Cast Further Suspicions This case is one part of such a vicious trend of random attacks happening all over China. Only last week, reports said that a 50-year-old man was taken into custody for slashing children with a knife at school in Beijing, causing five injuries. The knife assault already happened in September at a supermarket in Shanghai, killing three people there. Such acts of violence at random have worried everyone in the country, making citizens grow increasingly conscious about their safety while in public spaces. Stunned in the City As Zhuhai residents adjust to the tragedy, time will tell what the full unfolding of the incident and its aftermath would be. The people in Xiangzhou district and the larger Zhuhai area remain aback with the hope that in the wake of this senseless act of violence, clarity and justice will come their way.
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