A man armed with a knife attacked multiple people outside a hot pot restaurant at a shopping mall in Guangzhou, a major city in southern China, on the afternoon of September 14, leaving several women bleeding from wounds to the face before he was subdued and arrested at the scene, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.
The attack took place around 5 p.m. at the GOGO New Times commercial complex on Xiaoguwei Island in Guangzhou's Panyu District, the heart of the city's sprawling university district that is home to Sun Yat-sen University, South China University of Technology, Guangdong University of Technology and Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, among other schools.
Attacker Appeared To Target Victims' Eyes, Witnesses Say
Local social media warnings circulating in the hours after the attack described the assailant as specifically aiming his knife at victims' eyes, according to World Journal, which reported that images shared online showed women with visible facial wounds. Hong Kong outlet HK01 similarly reported that several people were left bathed in blood in the chaos that followed. CNA reported that at least three people suffered knife wounds to the face and were bleeding by the time police arrived.
Suspect Arrested At The Scene, No Life Threatening Injuries Reported
Officers from the Panyu District Public Security Bureau responded quickly to the scene, subdued the attacker and took him into custody. Authorities identified the suspect only as a 35-year-old man surnamed Li. All of the injured were taken to hospital for treatment, and police said none of their injuries were life-threatening. The case remains under investigation, and Chinese authorities have not disclosed a motive.
Nearby Universities Moved To Calm Rumors
With the mall sitting at the center of a district packed with student housing and campuses, local schools moved quickly to reassure their communities. Administrators sent messages through student group chats saying the situation was under control, stressing that the attacker had acted alone and warning students against spreading unverified rumors online. The mall reopened for business the following day with visibly increased security patrols stationed at every entrance.
The incident adds to a string of high-profile public attacks in China over the past year that have unsettled residents and drawn official scrutiny, from school stabbings to vehicle-ramming incidents, with Chinese authorities repeatedly urging calm while offering few details on what drives the attackers.
