Multiple children were injured on Tuesday when a car crashed outside a primary school in central China, according to state media. Details on the number of casualties or the identity of the person responsible have not been provided.
The incident comes amid a troubling rise in violent events in China in recent months, including mass stabbings and car rammings—an alarming trend in a country traditionally known for its strict public security.
These incidents have sparked widespread concern, with many questioning the underlying causes of the violence and why an increasing number of people seem willing to lash out at random civilians. Some have expressed despair over the growing sense of anger and frustration in society.
Initial videos of Tuesday’s crash, which surfaced online, were quickly removed from China’s heavily regulated social media platforms, a pattern that has followed previous mass casualty events.
State news agency Xinhua reported shortly before 10 a.m. that “multiple students were injured,” while state broadcaster CCTV stated that “specific casualties” were still under investigation.
Nearly five hours after the incident, state media had not provided further updates. However, footage circulating on Chinese social media appeared to show the aftermath, with children fleeing in panic from the crash site, shouting “help, help.” One video showed several people, including a child, lying motionless on the ground. Another clip depicted a bloodied man being attacked with sticks by passersby shouting, “beat him!” as he lay beside an SUV.
The crash occurred outside Yong’an Primary School in Changde, a city of more than five million people in Hunan province.
When asked for comment, Chinese authorities declined to offer further details. “The Chinese government has always taken and will continue to take effective measures to ensure people’s safety and social stability,” said foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian during a routine briefing.
Spate of Deadly Incidents
This crash is the latest in a series of violent events in China, which some analysts believe are linked to rising social tensions, a slowing economy, and increasing inequality. This year, China has witnessed several mass casualty incidents, including a deadly car ramming in Zhuhai last week that killed 35 people and wounded over 40. Authorities initially withheld details of the attack, and videos of the event were later removed from social media.
Police reported that the Zhuhai attacker, a man named Fan, was motivated by dissatisfaction with the division of property following his divorce. The week before, a knife attack at a vocational school in Yixing left eight dead and 17 wounded. The suspect, a 21-year-old former student, had failed his exams and was set to graduate this year.
In response to the growing violence, China’s top public prosecutor issued a statement on Tuesday vowing “zero tolerance” for crimes that endanger student safety. The prosecutor pledged to take all necessary steps to safeguard campuses and protect students.
The car crash on Tuesday quickly became one of the most talked-about topics on Chinese social media, amassing over 95 million views on Weibo by 11:10 a.m. Many users expressed horror and frustration over yet another tragedy involving children.
“How can something like this happen again?” one user wrote. Another commented, “There has been so much revenge on society lately.” A third said, “These events have a copycat effect; it only takes one major incident for others to follow suit.” One user summed up the sentiment, saying, “No matter the reason, innocent children should never be harmed.”
