Eight killed, 17 injured in knife attack at vocational school in eastern China

A knife attack at the Wuxi Vocational Institute of Arts and Technology in Jiangsu province, eastern China, left eight people dead and 17 injured on the evening of 16 November 2024.

The suspect, a 21-year-old former student, was arrested and confessed to the attack, according to police in Yixing.

The suspect had reportedly failed his graduation exams this year, which allegedly motivated him to return to the school to carry out the attack.

Authorities revealed in a statement, “He returned to the school to express his anger and commit these murders.”

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and terrifying. Xu was cornered against a wall by the three students.

One student bravely tackled him to the ground, and the others quickly joined in to restrain him. Moments later, more students arrived to assist in subduing the suspect until authorities arrived.

“Their quick actions prevented more deaths,” said a commenter, echoing the sentiments of many.

The assailant tackled by other students

The school, located in Yixing city, is approximately 150 kilometres west of Shanghai.

Known for its courses in art, design, ceramics, and fashion, it is home to about 12,000 students from various parts of the world. Emergency services were mobilised to treat the wounded and provide psychological support to those affected.

While violent knife crimes are not uncommon in China, such incidents with a high death toll remain relatively rare.

Public reactions on Chinese social media reflected widespread shock, with users on platforms like Weibo expressing despair over recent violent episodes.

One user commented, “Security on campuses must be boosted, along with more education about mental health, so other dramas like these do not happen.”

Another remarked on social inequalities, saying, “The rich-poor divide is getting bigger and bigger. Everyone must work hard these days to survive.”

Notably, some comments under official media posts about the Yixing attack appeared to have been removed, further fuelling public speculation about the censorship of critical discourse online.

The incident in Yixing follows a string of violent episodes in recent months, including a 62-year-old man ramming his SUV into a crowd in Zhuhai, southern China, earlier in November, killing 35 people and injuring more than 40.

Additional attacks in 2024 included a knife attack at a Shanghai supermarket in October, which killed three people and injured 15, and the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen in September.

China’s history of knife attacks has seen particularly devastating episodes, such as the 2014 Kunming railway station attack, which left around 30 dead and more than 140 injured. Authorities attributed that incident to separatist militants from the Xinjiang region.

The recent spate of attacks has reignited concerns over mental health, campus security, and the socioeconomic pressures facing individuals.