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Tragedy Strikes on Second Day of Beijing Olympics
August 09, 2008 11:05 AM
Jo Ling Kent, ABC News, Beijing
The celebratory atmosphere of the Olympics quickly took a turn for the worse on Day 2 with the news of a double stabbing in central Beijing Saturday afternoon. Two American family members of a coach of the U.S. men's indoor volleyball team and their Chinese tour guide were attacked in central Beijing at 12:20 p.m. local time on the second level of the ancient Drum Tower, a popular tourist attraction that dates to the 13th century.
According to the Beijing Municipal Government Information Office, the attacker, Tang Yongming, killed the American man and injured the American woman and the female guide. The attacker was identified by an identity card found on the body of a 47-year-old man from the eastern city of Hangzhou. Shortly after the attack, Tang "killed himself by jumping from the second story of the Drum Tower,'' Xinhua Agency reported. The second story is approximately 130 feet high. It is unclear what motivated the attack.
"Our priority in this hour is to attend to the needs of the family members, the U.S. Olympic Men's Indoor Volleyball Team and Staff, and the entire U.S. Olympic Delegation," the United States Olympic Committee said in a statement. "The USOC is working closely with the United States Embassy, United States law enforcement authorities and local law enforcement authorities."
Darryl Seibel, a spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, said of the volleyball team, ''They are deeply saddened and shocked.''
U.S. officials told ABC News that the two Americans who were attacked were not wearing anything that would have identified them as Americans or as a supporting part of the U.S. team.
Richard Buangan, the assistant spokesperson for the American Embassy in Beijing, told ABC News, "We are actively following up with the Chinese authorities and the victim's family."
Buangan declined to comment further citing privacy regulations. "We are respecting family's privacy and can't comment on any specifics," he told ABC News.
August 9, 2008 in Jo Ling Kent | Permalink | User Comments (8)
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If China wants to show the world that it has successfully moved into the 21st Century, then part of that should include it's part on improving conditions of their own citizens. True the story states that the victims were not wearing anything identifying them with the US team - but let's all be reasonable. Anyone can see they were clearly associated with some part of the western culture just by their outward apperance, dress and mannerism. China needs to take a sharp and dramatic front to improve Human Rights conditions on their own soil and stop blaming the western society or US influence for all the unrest and injustice going on in their own backyard. I am outraged that US citizans who have come in PEACE and to participate in FAIR PLAY at the OLYMIPICS. An event that should be free from POLITICAL agendas, judgement, violence........ JUST LET THE ATHELETS SHOW ALL OF US WHAT A FAIR AND JUST EVENT CAN BRING TO A PLANET FULL OF UNCERTAINTY, VIOLENCE, POLUTION, AND GIVE FUTURE GENERATIONS SOMETHING TO STRIVE FOR AND LOOK FORWARD TO !!!!!!!
Posted by: Tonia | Aug 9, 2008 3:44:38 PM
Tonia, obvious you have a short memoty, do you remember 1986 Atlanta Olympics? the bomb went off killed two Americans? So as your logic, America violated the Human rights so those people be killed?
and American have not seccessfully advanced to 21 centry? and we did not take care our own citizens?
Posted by: jessica lieber | Aug 9, 2008 5:02:23 PM
Tonia, obvious you have a short memoty, do you remember 1986 Atlanta Olympics? the bomb went off killed two Americans? So as your logic, America violated the Human rights so those people be killed?
and American have not seccessfully advanced to 21 centry? and we did not take care our own citizens?
Posted by: jessica lieber | Aug 9, 2008 5:02:31 PM
I think Tonia exactly fall in to the trick those terrorists set up, they want people's fear, people's resentment towards China. It's those Terrorists should be hated, it's the terrorists who hit the world trade center.if you say those Americans should not go to China, then what you say about the people being killed in 911? we should realize the new world war is terrorism, we should all work together, not be uesd by terrorists to hate Chinese people.
Posted by: jessica lieber | Aug 9, 2008 5:13:30 PM
i am from canada and i think this is a very sad and tragic day for the olympics and the us people. the olympics is supposed to be a time of peace between countries and to show to all the world IT IS POSSIBLE, but knowing the olympics is going on while soldiers are fighting in iraq and in georgia is sort of wrong. my oppinion there should be a simultamious cease of fire during the games and makes us try to see if peace cant be worked out verbally.
Posted by: carole roussakis | Aug 9, 2008 6:57:31 PM
China is not ready to open the door to the world
Posted by: earth | Aug 10, 2008 12:50:45 AM
Uhm...I think this report is a bit bogus. This murderer had to have targeted them because they were Americans. Americans don't exactly blend in China. Maybe he didn't know they were the in-laws of the US Volleyball coach, but come on, why not admit they targeted because of their nationality? A lot of Chinese hate our guts, why won't the media admit that?
Posted by: Caroline | Aug 10, 2008 6:19:34 AM
there is no reasoning to assume this was an attack on America Anyhew, maby some of you who instantly decided it was, reread the second paragraph
No matter if it turns out that guy was attacking Americans or not, this sort of thing could have happened ANYWHERE by ANYONE
Posted by: Sensible | Aug 10, 2008 10:22:37 AM
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