China Carries Out Executions of Two Men for Deadly "Revenge on Society" Attacks
Fan Weiqu killed 35 people by driving into a crowd in Zhuhai, while Xu Jiajin murdered eight in a stabbing rampage at his vocational school in Wuxi.
BEIJING — Two men who carried out deadly attacks in November, killing dozens of people in what have been dubbed "revenge on society crimes," have been executed, according to reports from state media on Monday.
Fan Weiqu, 62, was executed after carrying out a devastating car attack outside a sports stadium in Zhuhai, a southern city, which left at least 35 people dead. This attack, considered the deadliest in China in more than a decade, occurred after Fan became enraged over a divorce settlement. He drove his vehicle into the crowd, causing widespread chaos and loss of life.
Similarly, 21-year-old Xu Jiajin was executed for a stabbing spree at his vocational school in Wuxi, located in eastern China, which resulted in eight deaths and 17 injuries. Authorities stated that Xu was upset about failing his exams, his inability to graduate, and dissatisfaction with his internship pay.
The tragic events prompted Chinese President Xi Jinping to call for stronger preventative measures against such crimes, which have been increasingly recognized as forms of societal vengeance.
The death sentences for both men were issued by intermediate people's courts in Zhuhai and Wuxi in December and later approved by the Supreme People's Court.
China is known for executing more prisoners annually than any other country, though exact numbers remain classified as a state secret. While executions traditionally occur by gunshot, lethal injections have been utilized in recent years.
These attacks have raised concerns about a rise in "revenge on society crimes," prompting a national conversation on how to address underlying societal pressures and prevent future tragedies.