At least 35 people have been killed and 43 more injured after a man drove into a crowd of people exercising at a stadium in Zhuhai, southern China on Monday, authorities say.
A 62-year-old male driver, identified as Fan, drove his SUV through a barrier at Zhuhai Sports Centre in what local police say was a “serious and vicious attack”.
Many elderly people, as well as teenagers and children, were among the injured, Chinese media is reporting. Police said the driver was arrested as he tried to flee and is in a coma from self-inflicted wounds.
Amid reports that the incident is being censored online in China, BBC journalists were told to stop filming when reporting from the stadium on Tuesday.
Most videos of the incident shared by witnesses had been scrubbed off Chinese social media by Tuesday morning, but some footage still online showed dozens of people lying on the ground and being attended to by paramedics and bystanders.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out efforts” to treat the injured and “severe punishment” for the perpetrator.
The incident has taken place amid heightened security in Zhuhai, which is hosting a major international military airshow this week.
Initial investigations suggested the attack had been triggered by Fan’s unhappiness over a divorce property settlement. Because he is still in a coma, he has yet to be questioned, police say.
It is common in China for stadiums to be used as regular exercise grounds by locals.
One eyewitness, Chen, told Chinese news magazine Caixin that at least six groups had been at the stadium for their regular walks when the incident happened. (Agencies)
