Tian Mingjian
Mass murderer
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- China
- Location
- Beijing, China
- Date of birth
- 1963
- Age at first offence
- 31
- Characteristics
- spree killer, armed robbery
- Victim profile
- Men, women and children
- Method of murder
- Shooting (type 81 assault rifle)
- Date(s) of murder
- September 20, 1994
- Years active
- 1994
- Date of arrest
- —
- Status
-
Shot to death by a police sniper on September 20, 1994
Other details
Tian Mingjian (Chinese: 田明建) was an Army officer with the rank of First Lieutenant in the People’s Liberation Army.
Timeline
- September 20, 1994 — Tian Mingjian committed an act of spree killing at his military base in Tongxian County, Beijing, China, and then continued shooting in the streets towards Jianguomen, where he was killed by a police sniper.
- September 20, 1994 — Tian Mingjian arrived in Tiananmen Square at 7:20 am, jumped out, started shooting people at random, and riddled a passing bus with bullets.
- September 21, 1994 — Police identified the gunman as a member of the Chinese Army.
Background
Tian Mingjian had quarreled with superiors. The quarrel related to his wife being forced to have an abortion and dying. He had been disciplined for beating another soldier.
The offence
Tian Mingjian carried out a spree killing in Beijing on September 20, 1994. The incident began at his military base in Tongxian County, where he killed and injured several people. He armed himself with a type 81 assault rifle. He killed five soldiers and officers, including the Communist Party political commissar of the camp, and injured at least ten more.
After leaving the military base, Tian Mingjian hijacked a jeep and headed towards Beijing. He then drove towards Jianguomen, where he continued his shooting spree and indiscriminately fired at people in the streets.
In Tiananmen Square, Tian Mingjian started shooting people at random and riddled a passing bus with bullets. The incident included the killing of Iranian diplomat Yousef Mohammadi Pishknari and his son, who were driving nearby. In total, 17 people were killed in the Tiananmen Square/bus incident, with dozens of injuries on his trail towards Jianguomen.
Investigation
Police blocked Tian Mingjian’s route as he neared the Second Ring Road, a major thoroughfare near an apartment compound for foreign diplomats and journalists. After a 20-minute gun battle, police killed Tian Mingjian. Police searched for the deserter after ordering fellow soldiers to change into civilian clothing so as not to disturb the public.
Iran said it would send a team of investigators to investigate the shootings.
Outcome
Tian Mingjian was shot dead by a police sniper the same day as the Tian Mingjian incident.
Dozens were killed or wounded during the spree killing, including an Iranian diplomat and his son. A report stated the gunman killed nine people and wounded 40 on a major Beijing thoroughfare.
Other details
Charlene L. Fu wrote a report in The Seattle Times describing the incident.
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