Driver rams car into crowd in China, killing 35

According to police sources, in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai, a man, dissatisfied with the division of property in his divorce, drove into a crowd of people exercising at a sports center, resulting in 35 deaths and dozens of serious injuries. The perpetrator has been taken into police custody and is currently receiving medical treatment.

Police stated that the 62-year-old man, surnamed Fan, was detained shortly after the attack on Monday evening. "Officers found Fan with self-inflicted knife wounds inside the vehicle and immediately stopped him and sent him to the hospital for treatment," police said in a statement. "Due to severe neck injuries, Fan is currently in a coma and is still receiving emergency treatment, making him unable to be interrogated."

In the aftermath, internet censorship has been intensified, especially within China's "Great Firewall." Despite this, related videos are still circulating on the social media platform X. The videos show dozens of people lying on the running track of the sports center, which is often used by hundreds of residents for running, playing football, or dancing. A news blogger named Li Ying shared a video in which a woman says, "My leg is broken."

Police said that in addition to the 35 deaths, 43 people were injured. Videos from the scene show many people lying on the jogging track and nearby ground, with shoes scattered everywhere. Many of the injured were wearing sportswear, including uniforms from at least two local walking groups. According to Chinese media outlet Caixin, the SUV struck multiple walking groups, injuring dozens. The injured were mostly middle-aged and elderly people, but also included teenagers and children.

Witness Mr. Liu told Caixin that the vehicle "crashed around everywhere, and people were injured in all areas of the stadium's circular running track, including the east, south, west, and north areas." The Zhuhai Sports Center has an outdoor track and field, where local residents often engage in daily exercise. Following the incident, the center announced that it would be closed until further notice.

China has seen several attacks in recent years in which suspects appear to randomly target the public. In October, a man in Beijing was detained after attacking children with a knife at a school, injuring five. In September, a knife attack at a supermarket in Shanghai resulted in 3 deaths and 15 injuries. Police stated at the time that the suspect had personal economic disputes and came to Shanghai to "vent his anger."

Preliminary police investigations indicate that Fan was dissatisfied with the division of property in his divorce. Chinese authorities appear to be strictly controlling information about the incident. Internet censors tend to be extra careful about cleaning up social media before and during major events, such as air shows or the annual sessions of the National People's Congress. Nearly 24 hours after the attack, the number of casualties remains unclear. On Tuesday morning, searching for the sports center on the Chinese social media platform Weibo yielded only a few posts, with only a few mentioning what had happened, but without any pictures or details. Articles about the incident published by Chinese media on Monday evening have been deleted.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued a statement on Tuesday evening calling for the perpetrator to be "severely punished according to the law." According to Xinhua News Agency, he also called on all local governments to "strengthen risk prevention and control at the source, strictly prevent extreme cases from occurring, and resolve conflicts and disputes in a timely manner."