Beijing [China], December 28 : A Chinese court has given the death sentence to a man who killed 35 people by plowing his car into a crowd at a sports center in southern China, CNN reported, citing state media. Fan Weiqiu (62), rammed his car into people who were doing exercise at the outdoor venue in Zhuhai in November.
China has been witnessing a rise in incidents of violence targeting random members of the public - including children - in recent months as economic growth stutters, unnerving people long used to low violent crime rates and ubiquitous surveillance.
The Zhuhai Intermediate People's Court sentenced Fan on Friday after he pleaded guilty, CNN reported, citing state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Shortly before 8 pm (local time) on November 11, Fan rammed his car into the crowd, in a rage caused by his failed marriage and what he considered an unfair divorce settlement, the court said. As his vehicle mowed across the grounds of Zhuhai Sports Center, he hit dozens of people exercising around a track.
Following the incident, officers found Fan Weiqiu in the car trying to injure himself with a knife and took him to hospital, according to police's previous statement.
The court said, "The court finds that defendant Fan Weiqiu's criminal behavior was despicable; the nature of the crime particularly was brutal; the way the crime was committed was particularly cruel," CNN cited CCTV report.
The death toll in the attack was the highest since 2014, when a string of attacks rocked the far western region of Xinjiang. The hit-and-run alerted Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who called the attack "extremely vicious," to call for severe punishment, CNN cited CCTV's previous report.
The court's decision for Fan came just days after another Chinese court gave a suspended death sentence to a man who rammed his car into crowds outside a primary school in Hunan province, injuring 30 people, including 18 students.
Huang Wen, who was detained at the scene, injured 30 people, including 18 children, during the incident on November 19. He was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by the court, CNN reported.
The attack was motivated by Huang's frustration over financial losses from investments and personal disputes with his family, according to the court. The court also stated that after crashing his car into the crowd, Huang got out of his vehicle and attacked bystanders with a weapon before being apprehended.
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