China executes driver who killed 35 in car attack
text size

China executes driver who killed 35 in car attack

Fan's actions were driven by broken marriage and dissatisfaction with life

Listen to this article
Play
Pause
A police officer keeps watch as people remove flower bouquets placed outside the sports centre where a deadly car attack took place in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, China, on Nov 13, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)
A police officer keeps watch as people remove flower bouquets placed outside the sports centre where a deadly car attack took place in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, China, on Nov 13, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

ZHUHAI — The driver behind a deadly car attack in China's southern city of Zhuhai in November last year was executed on Monday, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Fan Weiqiu, 62, was convicted of deliberately driving his sport utility vehicle (SUV) into a group of people exercising outside a sports centre in Zhuhai on Nov 11.

The attack killed 35 people and injured 43 others - an act of public violence that shook the nation, a local court ruled late last month.

The court found that Fan's actions were driven by a broken marriage and dissatisfaction with his life, particularly regarding the division of property after his divorce. Fan was found guilty of "endangering public safety by dangerous means".

The court sentenced Fan to death and deprived him of his political rights for life, citing his "despicable" motives, the "heinous" nature of the crime, brutal methods, and the severe consequences and significant social harm caused by his actions.

Fan's behaviour warranted the most severe punishment under the law, the court emphasised.

After the initial sentencing, Fan did not appeal.

The mode of execution was not made public.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (17)