2008 attack at Beijing Drum Tower during Olympics

Infobox civilian attack
title = Information


caption =
location = Drum Tower, Beijing, China
coordinates =
date = August 9, 2008
time =
timezone =
type = stabbing
fatalities = 2 (including the perpetrator)
injuries = 2
perp = Tang Yongming
weapons = On August 9, 2008 in Beijing, China, two American tourists and their Chinese tour guide were stabbed at the Drum Tower; one of the tourists was killed. [cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1831074,00.html|title=A Murder Clouds the Olympics|last=Gregory|first=Sean|date=2008-08-09|work=TIME|accessdate=2008-08-16] [cite news|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aakVsvvsS3z8&refer=home|title=U.S. Olympic Coach's Relative Killed in Beijing|author=Tang, Theresa; Tang, Eugene|date=2008-08-09|work=Bloomberg|accessdate=2008-08-16] [cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2HtKa9I-8E|work=Associated Press|publisher=YouTube|title=Attacker Kills U.S. Tourist in Beijing|date=2008-08-09|accessdate=2008-08-17] The assailant then committed suicide by jumping from the tower. The incident occurred during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The incident has been described as rare since foreigners are considered safe while visiting China.cite web|url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/aug/10/former-olympians-father-slain-at-beijing-landmark/|title=Former Olympian's father slain at Beijing landmark|work=Las Vegas Sun|publisher=Associated Press|author=Duff-Brown, Beth|date=2008-08-10|accessdate=2008-08-16] Beijing is noted to be safer than most cities of its size.

Events and victims

Three people were stabbed in Beijing, China, on August 9, 2008, by 47-year-old Tang Yongming of Hangzhou, while visiting the 13th-century Drum Tower in Beijing during the 2008 Summer Olympics. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/09/olympics.murder/?imw=Y&iref=mpstoryemail American killed at Games was coach's father-in-law] ] The victims were Todd Bachman, a prominent horticulturalist from Lakeville, Minnesota, [ cite web|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/bachmans-inc-chairman-ceo-todd/story.aspx?guid={AD8FA2E1-278A-41E7-92AC-7D6EDC9F561B}&dist=hppr |title=Bachman's Inc. Chairman and CEO Todd Bachman Killed, Wife Barbara Bachman Seriously Injured in Random Attack in China |date=2008-08-09 |work=Wall Street Journal ] his wife Barbara, and their female Chinese national tour guide. Todd Bachman, who died in the attack, was the father of American athlete Elisabeth Bachman and the father-in-law of Team USA men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon.cite news |author=Magnier, Mark; Osnos, Evan |date=2008-08-09 | title=A dark turn in Beijing as U.S. Olympic coach's in-law slain |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0809-china-stabbing,0,237176.story |work=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=2008-08-16] Barbara Bachman was severely wounded but survived the attack. [cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/27142059.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7EaDiaMDCiUT|title=Bachman's condition improves, Mayo Clinic reports |last=Lerner|first=Maura|date=2008-08-20|work=The Star Tribune|accessdate=2008-08-20] The attacker then leaped to his death from a convert|40|m|ft|adj=on high balcony on the Drum Tower. US Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth and US President George W. Bush both offered their condolences. [ [http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/09/olympics.murder/index.html American killed at Games was coach's father-in-law - CNN.com ] ]

Perpetrator

Tang Yongming spent most of his life in the outskirts of Hangzhou, and was a metal presser at the Hangzhou Meter Factory for more than twenty years. He had no previous criminal record, according to investigators.cite web|url=http://www.china.org.cn/government/local_governments/2008-08/11/content_16188947.htm|title=Man who stabbed US tourists 'acted in despair over failures,' policy say|date=2008-08-11|publisher=China Internet Information Center|work=Xinhua News Agency|accessdate=2008-08-17] cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/sports/olympics/11beijing.html?em=&pagewanted=print|title=A Stabbing Rooted in Loss and Despair|date=2008-08-11|first=Andrew|last=Jacobs|accessdate=2008-08-17|work=The New York Times] Investigators reported that Tang was distraught over family problems.cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/08/09/international/i011949D93.DTL&feed=rss.news |title=China: Stabbing of ex-Olympian's father 'isolated' |author=Hutzler, Charles |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |date=2008-08-10 |accessdate=2008-08-16] A colleague who knew Tang said that he " [had] an unyielding mouth", "grumbled a great deal", and was "very cynical". Another former co-worker said Tang 'had a quick temper and was always complaining about society". Police report that Tang went through his second divorce in 2006 and grew increasingly despondent when his 21-year-old son started getting into trouble. The son was detained in May 2007 on suspicion of fraud, then received a suspended prison sentence in March 2008 for theft.

References

External links

* [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-08-09-tourist-killed_N.htm USAToday article]