A suspect has been taken into custody following the stabbing of four US college instructors in a public park in Jilin, northeastern China, police announced on Tuesday.
Authorities identified the suspect by his last name, Cui, a 55-year-old resident from the city’s Longtan District.
According to the police, he “collided with a foreigner while walking” in Beishan Park, a popular area in the city center.
Following the collision, Cui allegedly attacked the instructors and a Chinese tourist who intervened, police stated.
Emergency services received the call around 11:49 a.m. local time on Monday, prompting officers to rush to the scene and transport the injured to the hospital.
The police confirmed that the victims “have all received proper medical treatment and are not in danger.”
The educators from Cornell College, a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa, were injured “in a serious incident” while involved in a partnership program with Beihua University in Jilin, the college reported.
“We have been in contact with all four instructors and are assisting them during this time,” Cornell College President Jonathan Brand said in a statement, noting that no students were part of the program.
Video footage of the aftermath circulated briefly on Chinese social media before being censored.
The video showed two men and a woman lying on the ground with visible blood stains, talking on their cell phones, and surrounded by onlookers.
CNN verified the video’s location as Beishan Park, a central green space in Jilin, near Beihua University.
The incident occurred on a public holiday in China.
On Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the attack on “four foreign teachers at Beihua University” and assured that they were taken to the hospital and did not sustain life-threatening injuries.
Iowa state Rep. Adam Zabner revealed to CNN that his brother, David Zabner, was among the victims.
After speaking with him on Tuesday morning Beijing time, Zabner reported that his brother is “doing well,” has been stitched up, and seems to be recovering.
Rep. Zabner mentioned that the other three victims survived the attack but did not comment on their health status. “I’m just extremely grateful that my brother is OK and that he survived this attack,” he told CNN.
“The hope of my family is to get my brother back home as soon as possible and get them healthy.
And we really just want to thank the US State Department for all their help, and also our federal delegation from Iowa who have been particularly helpful.”
The US State Department acknowledged awareness of the incident and is monitoring the situation.
‘Horrifying Attack’
Knife attacks, although not uncommon in China due to stringent gun control laws, rarely target foreigners.
The incident in Jilin coincides with China’s efforts to attract international visitors after three years of strict Covid-19 border controls and attempts to enhance educational exchanges with the US.
The incident has garnered significant attention in Iowa from officials and lawmakers. Gov. Kim Reynolds described it as a “horrifying attack,” and US Rep. Ashley Hinson pledged to “do everything in our power to bring these Iowans home safely.”
On Chinese social media, visuals and discussions about the attack were quickly censored, though by Tuesday noon, some comments began to resurface.
Chinese internet users expressed their shock and concern, with some questioning the lack of media coverage and others worrying about the potential impact on China’s international image and the willingness of foreigners to visit the country.
At a news conference on Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry reassured that the incident would not affect educational exchanges between China and the US.
Lin, the spokesperson, emphasized the mutual benefits of cultural exchanges between the two nations and asserted that “China is widely recognized as one of the safest countries in the world.”
Educational Collaboration
Cornell College’s partnership with Beihua University, established in 2018, involves educators from the Iowa school teaching courses in computer science, math, and physics over two-week periods in China.
China aims to strengthen its educational cooperation with the US, which has faced challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic and bilateral tensions.
During a visit to the US in November, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced plans to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over the next five years to enhance personal ties between the two countries.
Xi Jinping has personal ties to Iowa, having stayed with a host family there during his first US visit nearly four decades ago, an experience he describes as “unforgettable.”
Recently, Xi encouraged Chinese and American universities to “strengthen exchanges and cooperation,” highlighting educational collaboration as a priority.
Despite China’s low rates of violent crime, the country continues to experience mass stabbings in public places.
In May, a knife attack in a Yunnan hospital resulted in two deaths and 21 injuries.
Other recent incidents include fatal stabbings at kindergartens in Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces.
A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the day of the stabbings.
The attack occurred on Monday.
