Six thugs headed by a hospital chief broke into a newspaper office in Qingdao , Shandong , on Thursday, beat five reporters and smashed 17 computers after the newspaper published an investigative report on Wednesday exposing wrongdoing at the hospital, the newspaper reported yesterday.
At about 11.20am on Thursday, Zhou Jian, the chief of the Shuguang Men's Hospital in Qingdao, entered the front door of the Metropolis Convenience Daily office, claiming to be a gang leader, a reporter at the newspaper said yesterday. Zhou was accompanied by six thugs brandishing weapons including knives, axes and hammers.
The gang stopped beating editorial staff and smashing computers when they heard police sirens.
They tried to escape but Zhou was detained at the scene.
The other thugs fled in two cars. The newspaper said they were caught on Thursday night.
Five editorial staff were hurt, with one male reporter suffering a knife wound 10cm long and 3cm deep.