Liu Hongwen

Name

Liu Hongwen

Background

Liu Hongwen was a 28-year-old primary school teacher. He had a history of mental illness. He had only been employed at the school for one year.

The offence

On September 30, Liu Hongwen attacked children in a grade one class at a school in Chenzhou, China. He killed four children with a knife in a grade one class at a school in Chenzhou. He wounded nine other children and three teachers. He then took 65 students hostage. The attack was described as a teacher’s meat cleaver attack. He entered a classroom and began attacking the children before fleeing to other classrooms where he continued his rampage. The rampage included assaults on at least four teachers.

Investigation and negotiation

After negotiations with a county government official, he surrendered to police.

Outcome

Liu Hongwen was later found not guilty by reason of insanity due to schizophrenia.

Aftermath

Families of the four victims were each immediately given 77 000 yuan (about R60) in compensation by the school.

Other details

The report stated it was the fourth such school attack in China during the last two months. It listed other recent school attacks in China:

• A knife-wielding man stabbed 25 children and kidnapped a nine-year-old girl at a primary school in east China's Shandong province on September 20.
• On September 11, a man carrying home-made explosives and gasoline slashed 28 children with a knife at a day care centre in the eastern city of Suzhou.
• On August 4 in Beijing, a mentally ill caretaker killed one child and injured 17 others in a knife attack at a kindergarten.