China Carries Out Death Sentence After Massive Knife Attack
In a chilling turn of events, authorities in China executed a man on Thursday for a brutal knife attack that claimed nine lives and left 11 others wounded at a middle school in central Shaanxi province.
Who was the perpetrator?
Yuan Zhao, a former student, was sentenced to death back in July after a court found him guilty of homicide. The incident took place on April 27 in the small county of Mizhi, in northwestern Shaanxi.
Execution details
- Approval came from China’s Supreme Court.
- The execution was carried out at the Yulin City Intermediate Court in Mizhi.
- Zhao allegedly brought knives to school, claiming he wanted to express his frustration after suffering bullying.
Why the death penalty?
Officials described Zhao’s motives as “despicable” and his methods as “especially cruel.” The Supreme Court deemed the punishment warranted, citing the seriousness of his crime.
Violence in China
While China’s overall violent crime rate is lower than many other countries—thanks to strict gun laws and strong city security—recent years have seen a spate of knife and axe attacks, including one in Beijing this year.
Execution frequency
China does not publicly release official execution stats, but human‑rights groups suggest that the country likely executes more people annually than all other nations combined.
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