Chinese police arrest man after alleged hostage taking in Beijing

Authorities say a man drove onto a high school campus in Haidian district and took a student hostage before police arrested him

Such attacks are extremely rare in the capital, one of the most heavily-policed cities in the country

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Police in Beijing’s Haidian District have detained a 26-year-old man surnamed Yuan after an alleged hostage taking. Photo: Wikipedia

Published: 5:35pm, 12 Jun 2023Updated: 6:04pm, 12 Jun 2023

Police in the Chinese capital Beijing detained a man on Monday morning after he allegedly took a student hostage at a local high school.

According to a police briefing posted on an official Weibo social media account, “a man drove into a high school in Haidian district and held a student hostage before being arrested by police”.

Another student was injured by the suspect’s vehicle, police said.

The Public Security Bureau in Haidian said that officers were called to the scene and rescued the hostage before arresting a 26-year-old man surnamed Yuan. The injured student was taken to hospital for treatment, the briefing said.

No other details were provided, and the exact location of the incident was not released. It is believed the incident happened at about 7am.

Haidian is one of Beijing’s busiest districts and is home to several prestigious universities and research institutions.

Such incidents are extremely rare in the capital, which is home to most serving and retired state leaders. It is arguably the most heavily-policed city in the country. Security measures are often ramped up in Beijing before key political gatherings or events, or after incidents seen as a threat to the government.