40 students, teachers injured in stabbing incident in China school

At least 40 students and teachers were injured after a security guard went on a stabbing spree at a nursery school in China on Thursday (June 4) morning.

The incident happened at Wangfu Town Central Primary School in Wuzhou city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, state-run China Daily said in a brief report.

According to state-run CGTN TV, three of the injured are in a serious condition. The others have been rushed to the hospital.

The man identified as 50-year-old Li Xiaomin, was detained by the police.

A press release on the incident released by the Wangfu Town government said “around 40 people” were hurt, including three severely injured – the school’s principal, another security guard and a student.

It said eight ambulances were sent to the scene, and all the wounded were sent to the Wuzhou city hospital and the town’s health centres for treatment.

A video by Xiaoxiang Morning News showed doctors and nurses attending to at least 10 students with bandages on their head and bodies, and helping them to leave the school building.

At least one student had to be carried out by adults and some students were treated with a drip. There was a long queue of anxious parents waiting in front of the Wangfu government clinic. One parent requested anonymity and said many of the injured pupils were from the preschool class, aged around six.

“Around 8.30am, I heard loud screams and cries from the school as I live nearby. I rushed to school and saw some pupils run out,” the Post report quoted a parent.

“A bystander told me a man with a knife is attacking the school. I rushed in to get my boy out. Fortunately, my son was just a bit shaken but not hurt,” he said.

The suspected attacker has been detained by local police for questioning. The reason for the crime, however, is not known yet.

Knife attacks by disgruntled people have been taking place in different parts of China in the past few years. The attackers targeted mainly kindergarten and primary schools besides public transport to vent their anger.

In September last year, eight students of a primary school in central China were killed and two others injured in a brutal knife attack carried out by a man, released recently from jail.

(With inputs from agencies)