Wang Xiwen

Background

Wang Xiwen (Chinese: 王锡文) was a Chinese police officer and mass murderer. He killed seven people and wounded twelve others in Handan, People’s Republic of China on November 17, 1980, before being arrested. He was executed by firing squad on June 10, 1981.

Wang was a Han Chinese. He was a policeman at the Sucao (苏曹) police station of the Handan municipal public security subbureau. He was promoted to brigade militia company commander and vice chairman of the brigade revolutionary committee. He became resentful when he lost the latter position because he and his wife Hao Jinfang (郝金芳) did not adhere to the family planning policy. Wang was also a member of the Communist Party of China. He was described as a follower of Lin Biao and the Gang of Four, advocated their policies, and criticized leaders of the Communist Party after the third plenum of the Central Committee in 1978.

The offence

In the evening of November 17, 1980, just days before the upcoming trials of the members of the Gang of Four, Wang broke into the office of deputy director Song Tiefa (宋铁法) and director Li Qingsheng (李庆生). He pried open a drawer and stole a pistol, 25 rounds of ammunition, ¥200, and 300 pounds of ration stamps. The 32-year-old policeman destroyed a ceramics bust of Mao Zedong. He also fired eleven rounds to destroy portraits of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De.

Subsequently Wang broke into the armory of the second brigade in the north of Handan. He armed himself with a light machine gun, eight rifles, 28 hand grenades, and a total of 2700 rounds of ammunition.

For the next six hours he paced through the streets of Handan, shooting people and throwing grenades. He repeatedly returned to the armory in between to restock his arms supply. When he was finally arrested he had spent 460 rounds and detonated 26 grenades.

The attack left six people dead at the scene, with one more fatally wounded, and twelve others injured, five of them seriously. He also killed two pigs and damaged two television sets and a transformer.

Victims

Those killed were:

• Guo Huimin (郭会民)
• temporary worker Guo Qingxuan (郭清选)
• member of Sucao second brigade Li Fushan (李付善)
• factory worker Li Liuzhu (李留柱)
• captain of Sucao second brigade Lu Yingkui (路英奎)

Investigation

After the investigation of the crime by the Handan City Public Security Bureau was completed, the case was transferred to the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People’s Court on January 13, 1981.

Trial

Prosecution began on January 21, but due to insufficient evidence the case was returned to the Handan Procuratorate on February 20. After an additional investigation the case was again transferred to the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People’s Court on March 26. On April 9, 1981 Wang was sentenced to death for counterrevolutionary activities and deprived of his political rights for life.

Appeals

Wang filed an appeal against the verdict, claiming that he had been insane at the time. The case was transferred to the Hebei Provincial Higher People’s Court on April 21. The Hebei Provincial Higher People’s Court sent Wang to a psychiatric hospital in Baoding for examination. Wang was eventually found to be legally sane.

On May 9 the judicial committee decided to maintain Wang’s conviction. On May 13 the case was transferred to the Supreme People’s Court to review the verdict. The Supreme People’s Court approved the verdict on May 26.

The conviction was thus upheld by the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People’s Court and also by the Handan Municipal People’s Court. The public trial was held at the Handan Municipal Stadium on June 10.

Sentencing

Outcome

Immediately after his appeal was dismissed Wang was blindfolded, bound to a pole, and executed by a firing squad in front of a crowd of 50,000 people. The execution took place on June 10, 1981.

Timeline

• November 17, 1980 — Wang broke into Song Tiefa’s and Li Qingsheng’s office, stole a pistol, ammunition, ¥200, and ration stamps, destroyed political portraits, broke into an armory, shot people and threw grenades across Handan for six hours, and was eventually arrested.
• January 13, 1981 — The case was transferred to the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People’s Court.
• January 21, 1981 — Prosecution began.
• February 20, 1981 — The case was returned to the Handan Procuratorate due to insufficient evidence.
• March 26, 1981 — The case was again transferred to the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People’s Court.
• April 9, 1981 — Wang was sentenced to death for counterrevolutionary activities and deprived of his political rights for life.
• April 21, 1981 — The case was transferred to the Hebei Provincial Higher People’s Court.
• May 9, 1981 — The judicial committee decided to maintain Wang’s conviction.
• May 13, 1981 — The case was transferred to the Supreme People’s Court to review the verdict.
• May 26, 1981 — The Supreme People’s Court approved the verdict.
• June 10, 1981 — The conviction was upheld in a public trial at the Handan Municipal Stadium, and Wang was executed by firing squad in front of a crowd of 50,000 people.

Other details

Wang was also described as a follower of Lin Biao and the Gang of Four. He was described as criticizing leaders of the Communist Party after the third plenum of the Central Committee in 1978. Wang and his wife Hao Jinfang (郝金芳) did not adhere to the family planning policy. Wang destroyed a ceramics bust of Mao Zedong. Wang also destroyed portraits of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De. Wang spent 460 rounds and detonated 26 grenades before being arrested. He left six people dead at the scene, with one more fatally wounded, and twelve others injured. Five of the injured were seriously injured. He killed two pigs and damaged two television sets and a transformer. Victims mentioned by name included Guo Huimin (郭会民), Guo Qingxuan (郭清选), Li Fushan (李付善), Li Liuzhu (李留柱), and Lu Yingkui (路英奎).