Knifeman stages hostage drama in China to raise funds for impotence cure
- Man depressed by erectile dysfunction allegedly planned to kidnap woman and ransom her to pay for treatment
Police in central China have arrested a man who allegedly tried to kidnap a young woman on the weekend to raise money to treat his erectile dysfunction, according to a Chinese media report.
The man, identified by his surname Zhang, travelled to Huanggang in Hubei province from the countryside after the Lunar New Year holiday with a plan to abduct someone and hold them hostage for a ransom, Shanghai-based news outlet Thepaper.cn reported on Monday.
Zhang bought a fruit knife, some cable and some tape and booked a hotel room for the planned kidnapping.
On Sunday, he scanned the busy street outside the hotel and grabbed the woman as she walked by, the report said.
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According to the report, Zhang targeted the woman because she appeared to be physically weak.
He held the knife to her body and one arm around her neck, prompting bystanders to phone the police.
Police officers arrived at the scene and tried to negotiate with Zhang to drop the knife.
But he refused to comply and demanded money to release the woman.
“Don’t come close. I only want 100,000 yuan (US$14,800). If you give me the money I will free her,” he was quoted as saying.
The woman, a university student, eventually managed to free herself from Zhang’s grip as he turned around to go up some stairs.
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The police officers then used a mechanical device to put Zhang in a chokehold.
Zhang continued to demand money and threatened to kill himself before the officers were able to distract him and disarm him, according to the report.
Nobody was wounded in the incident, the report said.
According to the report, Zhang had been depressed since his diagnosis of erectile dysfunction in 2014 and had no money to pay for medical treatment.
