8 people killed and 17 injured after a 21-year-old boy went on a stabbing spree at a school in China; the suspect was detained

The suspect, a 21-year-old male student surnamed Xu, was caught at the scene. Police revealed that Xu carried out the attack out of anger because he had failed his exams and was unhappy with his internship pay.

Videos censored on Chinese platforms
In the images shared on Western social media such as X, injured people were seen lying on the street while the surrounding people rushed to help. However, on Chinese platforms such as Weibo, only the police statement can be accessed, and there is no visual or related content. This is in line with China’s practice of censoring sensitive or politically charged material online. Most Western platforms, including Google and Facebook, are inaccessible in China due to “Great Firewall” regulations.

Violence is increasing in China
Wuxi’s stabbing was the second fatal attack in a week. Earlier, a man drove a car into a sports facility in Zhuhai, southern China, killing 35 people and injuring 43 others.

China has witnessed a disturbing increase in random public attacks. In October, a man attacked schoolchildren with a knife in Beijing, injuring five people. September saw a stabbing attack at a supermarket in Shanghai in which three people died and 15 were injured due to the suspect’s financial disputes. That same month, a Japanese student was fatally stabbed in Shenzhen.