China police kill man who took 50 students hostage

A convicted criminal who took 50 elementary school students and a teacher hostage was shot and killed by police in central China on Tuesday, the Public Security Ministry said. Police said they were searching the school in the Hubei province city of Qianjiang for any explosives that might have been hidden by the suspect. State media reports identified the hostage taker as Zhang Zeqing, who previously served prison terms for robbery and illegal gun making.

Around 9am he forced his way into Class Three, Grade Six in Number Three Primary School of Haokou Town, in an attempt to kidnap the female class teacher.

China Daily

The reports said Zhang possessed a knife and some type of explosives. They said he had agreed to exchange the students and teacher for the deputy mayor of the surrounding town of Haokou, but was shot after he poured gasoline over a official. No motive was given for the hostage taking and police said they had no additional details.

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