Child from Japanese school stabbed in China on sensitive 918 anniversary
Local police detain 44-year-old man accused of attacking the primary student who is being treated in hospital for injuries
A 10-year-old child is in hospital after being attacked by a man with a knife on the way to a Japanese primary school in Shenzhen, southern China on Wednesday morning.
Japan’s embassy in Beijing issued an alert about the incident and called on Japanese nationals to pay attention to surroundings, including approaches by “suspicious persons”.
A 44-year-old man surnamed Zhong was taken into custody at the scene, according to a statement issued by local police on Wednesday afternoon. The man is accused of injuring a minor with a knife in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district soon after 8am.
The police statement did not specify the child’s nationality or gender but did reveal that the surname is Chinese. Japanese news agency Kyodo earlier reported that the victim was an elementary school boy.
In their statement, the police said the investigation into the case and medical treatment for the child’s injuries are ongoing.
A spokesperson with Japan’s embassy in Beijing confirmed that the boy was attacked and is receiving treatment in hospital. No details were released of the victim’s identity, or how seriously he was injured.
The spokesperson added that the embassy is verifying the victim’s nationality.
