At least eight people were killed and 17 others injured in a stabbing attack at Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Yixing, a city in eastern China.
The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to a statement released by local police.
Authorities confirmed the suspect, a recent graduate of the institute, was apprehended at the scene.
“Around 6:30 p.m. on November 16, 2024, a stabbing incident that resulted in casualties occurred at Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Yixing city, causing 8 deaths and injuring another 17, The suspect was apprehended on the scene,” according to a police statement.
Preliminary investigations revealed the attacker’s motivation stemmed from frustrations over “failing [an] exam, not receiving a graduation certificate, and dissatisfaction with internship compensation.”
The police emphasized that a thorough investigation into the tragic event is ongoing. This attack, targeting a college campus known for its focus on arts and technology, has shocked the community, with many questioning campus security protocols and student mental health support systems.
This latest tragedy is part of a disturbing pattern of violent attacks and mass casualty events in China in recent months.
Earlier this week, a devastating car attack in Zhuhai, a city in southern China, left 35 people dead and more than 40 injured.
The vehicle plowed into pedestrians, many of whom were exercising, in what authorities described as a catastrophic incident. Online discussions and videos of the attack were swiftly censored, reflecting the sensitivity surrounding such events.
In October, a 50-year-old man was arrested following a knife attack near an elementary school in Beijing, which injured five individuals, including three children.
A month prior, a brutal knife assault at a suburban supermarket in Shanghai resulted in three fatalities and left 15 others injured.
That same month, a bus crash outside a school in Tai’an city, Shandong province, claimed the lives of 11 students and parents, injuring 13 more. Officials have remained tight-lipped on whether the bus incident was intentional or accidental, further fueling public speculation.
The frequency and severity of these incidents have raised urgent questions about public safety and crisis prevention measures across China.
Citizens have called for more proactive mental health interventions and improved security at educational institutions and other public spaces.
As investigations into the Yixing campus stabbing continue, the tragedy underscores a troubling rise in violent acts that has left communities across the nation reeling.
