School attacks in China

A series of uncoordinated mass stabbings, hammer attacks, and cleaver attacks in the People's Republic of China began in March 2010. The spate of attacks left at least 90 dead and some 473 injured. As most cases had no known motive, analysts have blamed mental health problems caused by rapid social change for the rise in these kinds of mass murder and murder-suicide incidents.[1]

As the Chenpeng Village Primary School stabbing was followed by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in the United States hours later[2][3] comparisons were drawn between the two. The difference in gun control laws between the two countries was used to explain the disparity in casualties of the school attacks by journalists and politicians, including U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler,[4][5] and an article in the Associated Press noted that despite the different outcomes, an underlying commonality between the attacks was the increased frequency of school attacks because "attackers often seek out the vulnerable, hoping to amplify their outrage before they themselves often commit suicide".[6]

  1. ^ "China knife attack 'kills eight'". BBC News. 9 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
  2. ^ 闵拥军砍伤22名学生 中国36岁男子闵拥军落网 - 名城西安 (in Chinese). China-xian.com. 15 December 2012. Archived from the original on 18 December 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  3. ^ "22 Students In China Stabbed In Elementary School Attack by 36-year-old Villager Min Yongjun". American Live Wire. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  4. ^ Evan Osnos (15 December 2012). "China Watches Newtown: Guns and American Credibility". The New Yorker.
  5. ^ McAuliff, Michael (15 December 2012). "On Gun Control, Jerry Nadler Explains What Congress Could Do Right Now". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  6. ^ Hutzler, Charles (15 December 2012). "Schools and students are targets worldwide". Associated Press. Retrieved 15 December 2012.[dead link]