Police in Kunming , capital of Yunnan province , yesterday shot dead a knife-wielding man who attacked three people and took two hostages at a Carrefour in a four-hour standoff, Xinhua reported.
One hostage, a nurse sent to treat the wounded, was rescued unharmed. The three injured people - two customers and a salesperson - were in hospital. One was in critical condition.
The attack was triggered by a failed love affair, police said.
The incident started at about 9.30am at a Carrefour in Long Quan Road. Without any warning, Lu Zhiwen, 39, stabbed and slashed the trio with a long knife on the second floor of the supermarket, a witness said.
He then took another customer hostage and hid inside the manager's office on the third floor, threatening to kill the hostage if police broke in.
As the three victims lay in pools of blood, a government nurse was sent to treat them. Lu released the person he had been holding and took the female nurse hostage instead, a spokesman for the Kunming Municipal Public Security Bureau said.
A police marksman killed Lu with a single shot at about 1.30pm.
