China Court Sentences Man to Death for Killing 35 in Crowd Attack

A Chinese court has sentenced Fan Weiqiu to death for intentionally driving into a crowd of people exercising at a sports center in Zhuhai, killing 35 and injuring many others.

The court's verdict, handed down on December 27, stated that Fan's actions were "extremely despicable" and caused "great social harm." Fan had pleaded guilty to endangering public safety by dangerous means.

According to reports, Fan's motive for the attack was to vent his anger over an unfavorable divorce settlement. This incident is part of a larger trend of "revenge on society" crimes in China, where individuals seek to harm others due to personal grievances.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered local governments to take steps to prevent similar attacks in the future. This incident has raised national concern about mass killings and public safety.

In a separate incident, a court in Hunan province handed down a suspended death sentence to a driver who injured 30 people by driving into a group of elementary school students and parents. The driver's motive was reportedly to take out his frustrations after losing money on an investment.