China vehicle attack leaves 11 people dead

A 54-year-old man with a criminal past has been arrested for driving an SUV into a crowded public square in a central Chinese city, killing 11 people and injuring nearly 50 others.

The incident occurred in the city of Hengyang in Hunan province on Wednesday night. Police haven’t described it as an incident related to terror, indicating the suspect - also said to be suffering from cancer - could have carried out the random yet vicious attack because of a personal grievance.

Hundreds of local residents had gathered in the city’s central public park for the evening, many in large groups exercising or dancing. Many people were simply having a quiet evening stroll.

Soon after, the suspect, identified only as Yang, drove his red SUV into the people, triggering panic and sending the crowd running frantically away from the wildly swerving vehicle.

Videos have emerged showing people falling over each other while attempting to run in different directions to escape the car. Footage also showed people helping the injured, moving them out of the vehicle’s path. The SUV went on hitting people and running over several of them. Many victims were seen lying in the square in pools of blood.

The injured were taken to neaby hospitals in private and police cars. The suspect was picked up soon after.

“There was a vicious incident that a person drove deliberately into crowds at Mijiang Square,” the local government said in a statement in Mandarin.

“Yang was reportedly sentenced several times for robbery,” bjnews.com.cn reported.

BEIJING: