Eight dead in kindergarten attack in China

Seven children and a teacher have died in China's fifth school attack in less than two months. Local villager Wu Huanmin used a cleaver in the attack on a kindergarten in Shaanxi province. Another 11 children and one teacher were injured.

Reuters

Wu went home after the attack and committed suicide. The motive for the attack is unknown.

Last Tuesday, the south-western Chinese city of Chongqing imposed an order allowing police to shoot to kill if a person attempts to harm students.

China's Public Security Ministry called for tighter measures around schools and kindergartens around the country after a farmer with a hammer injured five children and a teacher in an elementary school two weeks ago. The farmer committed suicide by setting himself on fire after the attack.

The previous week an unemployed man attacked 29 children and three adults with a knife used to slaughter pigs and a 33-year-old teacher put on leave for mental problems attacked 15 students and a teacher.

A former doctor was executed last week for stabbing to death eight children and injuring five others.

Chinese authorities have increased the monitoring of people with mental health problems and banned bars and snooker rooms from being within 200 metres of a school and more than 200 security guards have been sent to schools.