Seven children, teacher killed in attack at Chinese school

Hacking rampage in Hanzhong city fifth major incident at Chinese schools since March.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chinese school attack (photo credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Chinese school attack
(photo credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
BEIJING — An attacker hacked seven children and one teacher to death Wednesday and wounded 20 other people in a rampage at a kindergarten in northwest China, the latest in a string of savage assaults at the country's schools.
The slayings occurred despite a countrywide boost in security at schools, with gates and security cameras installed and additional police and guards posted at entrances.
The attack happened at 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) at a kindergarten in Nanzheng county of Hanzhong city, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Liu Xiaoming, deputy director of the propaganda department of Hanzhong city, confirmed that seven children and one teacher were killed and that about 20 others had been wounded.
"The murderer killed himself afterward," Liu told The Associated Press. He said he did not have any other information.
The attack is the fifth major incident at schools and kindergartens since late March, sparking
security fears among parents, officials and educators.
Sociologists say the attacks reflect a lack of support for the mentally ill and rising stress
resulting from huge social inequalities in China's fast-changing society. Such issues have largely been ignored in state media's reporting on the attacks, which have focused instead on increases in security in an effort to quell public fear and potential unrest.