American tourists attacked in Beijing; one dead

[Brent]

BEIJING - Beijing authorities say a Chinese man attacked two American tourists on the opening day of the Olympic Games, killing one of them before committing suicide.

The Beijing Municipal Government says the attack happened in downtown Beijing at noon on Saturday. Officials issued a statement saying the 47-year-old attacker, Tang Yongming, also injured an American woman and her Chinese tourist guide.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080809/ap_ ... can_killed

[Category 5]

I'm sure the Chinese government won't be very happy with this guy.

[Chacor]

Not much they can do, since he committed suicide.

[lurkey]

Here is an update:

Father of Former Olympian Murdered in Beijing


BEIJING (AP) — The fatal stabbing of the father of a former Olympian at a Beijing landmark cast a sad shadow over the first full day of Olympic competition Saturday, just hours after China’s jubilant opening of the Summer Games.

Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minn. - parents of 2004 volleyball Olympian Elisabeth “Wiz” Bachman and in-laws of U.S. men’s volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon - were attacked by a Chinese man while visiting the 13th-century Drum Tower.

The U.S. Olympic Committee confirmed Bachman died from knife wounds and that Barbara Bachman suffered life-threatening injuries. She and their Chinese tour guide, who was also injured in the attack, were being treated in a Beijing hospital.
[...]
The assailant, Tang Yongming, 47, leapt to his death from a 130-foot high balcony on the Drum Tower, just five miles from the main Olympics site, the official Xinhua News Agency reported

[Dionne]

A random attack? A homeless, jobless, divorced Chinese man attacks and kills an American visiting a 13th century Drum Tower because he is distraught over his life failures. Then he kills himself. Seems odd to me?