In the past three months, a series of mass attacks across China has resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. The latest incident occurred on Tuesday when a car struck primary school students as they arrived for class.
The attacks typically take one of two forms: drivers deliberately running over pedestrians or assailants wielding knives to stab multiple victims. While guns are strictly controlled in China, gun violence remains rare.
Authorities believe the attackers are often motivated by personal grievances or frustrations, with the victims usually being strangers to the perpetrators.
Although such attacks are not new in China, having previously targeted kindergartens and schools, the recent surge in violence has drawn significant attention from both the public and government. Below are some of the recent incidents:
- November 19: Vehicle hits students at primary school gate
A white SUV struck several students and some adults outside Yong’an Elementary School in Changde, Hunan province. Security guards and parents detained the 39-year-old driver. Authorities have yet to provide full details, but the driver was taken into custody. - November 16: Stabbing kills eight at vocational school
A knife attack at Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Yixing city left eight dead and 17 injured. Police arrested a 21-year-old student, who had been frustrated over his failed exams and dissatisfaction with his internship pay. The attacker vented his anger through the violent assault. - November 11: Driver kills 35 at sports complex
In Zhuhai city, a 62-year-old man, upset over his divorce settlement, drove his car into a crowd at a sports complex, killing 35 people and injuring 43. Police said the man later attempted to harm himself before losing consciousness from his injuries. - October 28: Knife attack near primary school
Five people, including three children, were injured in a stabbing near a primary school in Beijing. A 50-year-old suspect was arrested, though no motive has been provided. - Earlier in October: A 10-year-old Japanese student was fatally stabbed near his school in Shenzhen, and earlier in June, a Japanese woman and her child were attacked at a bus stop near a Japanese school in Suzhou.
- September 30: Knife attack kills three at supermarket
A 37-year-old man killed three people and injured 15 at a supermarket in Shanghai. Police said the man had financial disputes and was in the city to “vent his anger” on unsuspecting victims. The attack took place just before a national holiday.
