A car crashed into a crowd outside a stadium in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday evening, local police said, leaving several injured. The accident occured when security was heightened in the city, which hosted a major civil and military airshow. The suspect driver, a man surnamed Fan, 62 years old, was arrested by police.

It occurred before Zhuhai Sports Centre, where many locals were exercising then. 

According to local reports, up to 20 people were injured after the vehicle was driven at high speed into the crowd. Many of the victims, including some older people, as well as children and teenagers, were caught in the impact while walking or jogging on the designated walking path tracing the perimeter of the stadium.

According to eyewitnesses, the car was erratically going around the stadium in a circle, hitting people along different track-east, south, west, and north sections. Mr. Chen, one of the eyewitnesses, reported to Chinese news outlet Caixin that he and his group had just accomplished the third lap around the stadium when the car suddenly veered toward them. “It knocked down many people,” he said.

The vast majority of these ‘eyewitness’ videos, uploaded onto Chinese social media, have now been erased. Still, several that remain online depict an enormous number of people laid out on the ground as they wait to be helped to the hospital by emergency responders and people on the street.  Some of the victims appear to be unconscious.

 Driver in Custody

Local police have taken in the driver of the car, Fan. At this point, it is still unknown whether this accident was a deliberate act or if something linked to a medical condition or any other reason led to the result.

Possible Zhuhai Airshow Link

The accident occurred when increased security was mounted in Zhuhai, hosting a prominent civil and military air show. The airshow, marked by China’s newest warplanes and attack drones, takes about 40 kilometers from the Zhuhai Sports Centre. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu will also attend the airshow, raising tension.

While it is unclear whether the crash is connected to the air show, the incident’s timing and location have fueled speculation about the cause and whether the city’s increased security measures affected the event.

Notable Violent Attacks in China.

This is part of a disturbing spate of violent attacks against civilians within China. In September, a man stabbed several people, killing three, in a Shanghai supermarket. The same month, a 10-year-old Japanese boy died after being stabbed near his school in southern China.

Conclusion

The Zhuhai Crash Investigation Authority is still collecting information about the accident as local authorities investigate the Zhuhai crash. The accident shocked the community as public safety questions arose, especially regarding crowded places with maximum footfall and public events. The well-being of the victims remains in focus as the circumstances of the crash are ascertained.