Fatal car crash that killed five children and injured 18 outside Chinese primary school was deliberate, police say
- Driver had ‘extreme thoughts’ of wanting to drive into any random target
- Criminally detained after leaving five children dead and 18 injured
A 29-year-old man has been criminally detained for endangering public safety. He was arrested after a black Audi sports car ploughed into the group of around 30 children, causing five deaths and injuring 18 people.
The incident happened at around noon on Thursday outside the No 2 Primary School in Jianchang county in Huludao, Liaoning province, according to a Weibo statement from Huludao police.
A police investigation identified the man as Han Jihua from Jianchang county and said that he had been “depressed” due to his marital troubles, which caused “extreme thoughts” of wanting to drive his car into any random target, according to a statement from the Jianchang County Propaganda Bureau on Thursday evening.
The statement also described the unemployed suspect as “prejudiced and narrow-minded”.
Police have ruled out drugs or alcohol, according to Xinhua.