In a tragic incident in Zhuhai, southern China, an SUV drove into a large crowd exercising at the Zhuhai Sports Centre on Monday evening, resulting in 35 fatalities and over 40 injuries, according to local police reports.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m. as local residents gathered for exercise on the sports grounds. The driver, a 62-year-old man, was apprehended as he attempted to flee the scene.
The police have described the event as a hit-and-run, but additional details on the driver's motives or condition have not yet been released.
Eyewitnesses reported that the SUV struck multiple groups across different sections of the sports field, which includes an outdoor track and field area commonly used by locals for fitness activities.
Videos circulating on social media show the aftermath, with numerous injured individuals lying on the track and other parts of the sports grounds.
The victims, as reported by Caixin, included middle-aged and elderly participants, as well as some teenagers and children, many of whom were members of local fitness walking groups.
The Zhuhai Sports Centre, a popular exercise venue, announced its closure following the incident. This tragedy coincides with the beginning of China's largest airshow in Zhuhai, scheduled from November 12 to 17.
While violent crime rates in China are relatively low, there has been a rise in incidents involving random attacks on public gatherings.
Recent months have seen attacks targeting the public, including a stabbing near a Beijing elementary school and a knife attack in a Shanghai supermarket
Source:
CNN https://www.whec.com/national-world/35-dead-as-a-driver-hits-a-crowd-in-a-chinese-city/Image: WHEC.com
