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.
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.