A knife-wielding former student killed eight people and injured 17 others in a stabbing rampage outside a vocational school in eastern China Friday, the latest in a series of public attacks that has sparked national concern about social violence.
The 21-year-old suspect was arrested around 6:30 p.m. local time at Wuxi Yixing Arts and Crafts Vocational and Technical College in Wuxi city, police said. Authorities said he carried out the attack after “failing to obtain his diploma due to poor exam results” and harboring resentment over his internship pay.
Police reported the suspect, who graduated in 2024, “confessed without hesitation” and that an investigation is ongoing as officials work to “manage the aftermath.” The authorities have not released the identities of the victims.
The incident comes just days after a driver killed at least 35 people by deliberately driving into crowds at a stadium in Zhuhai, reportedly motivated by anger over a divorce settlement. The two attacks have intensified public discourse about what Chinese social media users call “taking revenge on society,” where individuals act on personal grievances through indiscriminate violence against strangers.
These incidents have raised questions about underlying social tensions in China and prompted discussions about prevention of public violence. The consecutive attacks have led to calls for enhanced security measures at educational institutions and public spaces across the country.
