Residents in Zhuhai are mourning the tragic loss of 35 individuals killed in a tragic car-ramming attack at a local sports complex Monday night.
The assailant, a 62-year-old man identified only by his surname, Fan, reportedly acted out of anger over his divorce settlement.
Following the incident, which also left 43 others injured, Fan was apprehended as he tried to flee the scene.
The attack occurred just before the Zhuhai Airshow, an event organized by the People’s Liberation Army that garners significant attention and typically prompts heightened information control by Chinese authorities.
It took almost 24 hours after the attack before information with definite casualty tolls was released.
In the wake of the tragedy, police provided minimal details about Fan and his motives, revealing only that he was dissatisfied with the financial arrangements of his divorce.
Eyewitness accounts indicated many victims were exercising at the time of the attack, when Fan drove his vehicle into a crowd.
In response to the tragedy, residents began laying flowers outside the Zhuhai People’s Fitness Plaza to honor those who had lost their lives, according to the Associated Press.
This act of remembrance started Tuesday evening and continued until yesterday.
“It is very shocking,’ said one of them, Dong Chilin. “My husband goes jogging there every night. I called him immediately. … Fortunately, none of the people I know was there that day.”
The report noted that initially, police presence at the site was light but increased as more mourners gathered.
While officials allowed floral tributes to be placed outside the complex, volunteers later moved them inside for safekeeping.
One message found among the bouquets read: “May there be no thugs in heaven,” expressing a desire for justice and peace.
This attack is one of the deadliest in recent memory and has drawn significant media attention both domestically and internationally.
Videos from the scene quickly circulated online despite censorship efforts within China, depicting the chaos that ensued as emergency responders rushed to assist those injured.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for strict legal repercussions for Fan and urged local governments to enhance measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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