A driver struck and killed 35 people and injured dozens of others with a vehicle during a hit-and-run crash in southern China, local police confirmed Tuesday.
In what Chinese authorities are calling an intentional act, the attack took place just before 8 p.m. local time Monday when the person drove” “a small SUV” into a large group of people outside a sports stadium in the mainland city of Zhuhai, Reuters reported.
The city is in the country’s Guangdong province, on the border with Macau. The hit-and-run took place at the Zhuhai Sports Center, police said in a statement Tuesday.
People hit by SUV were exercising, police say
More than 40 people were injured and hospitalized after the SUV knocked down a number of pedestrians while they were exercising, police wrote in the statement, posted on X by the non-profit organization China Perspective. Zhuha police reported they apprehended the suspect at the scene after he attempted to flee.
According to multiple American news outlets including Reuters and CBS News, police did not report the hit-and-run attack until Tuesday.
Driver was reportedly unconscious and may have cut himself with a knife
Police identified the 62-year-old suspect by his family name, Fan − a common practice in the count, Reuters reported. The suspect was reportedly unconscious and being treated at a hospital after suffering what police called self-inflicted injuries from a knife they reported was found in the SUV.
According to a preliminary investigation by police, Reuters reported, “the incident was triggered by Fan’s discontent following a divorce.”
On Tuesday, President Xi Jinping released a statement calling for the suspect “to punished in accordance with Chinese law,” CBS News reported.
Video posted on social media shows people motionless on the ground
Video posted on X by a person identified as Teacher Li, shows people lying on the ground, some not moving as people are heard crying and yelling in the background.
“A car hit pedestrians at the Zhuhai Sports Center. Injured people were seen lying on the ground everywhere along the way. The scene was shocking. The vehicle ran away after hitting people,” the social media user posted in the caption.
According to Reuters, the city is hosting China’s annual air show this week where a new stealth jet fighter is slated to be on display.
Contributing: Reuters
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.