Shanghai Mall Stabbing Leaves a Community in Shock & Fear

[Social Media]

 

On Monday night, just before closing time, terror swept through the Ludu International Shopping Plaza in Shanghai’s Songjiang district. A man, identified by police as 37-year-old Lin, embarked on a stabbing spree that left three people dead and injured 18 others. Witnesses describe the panic and chaos that unfolded in the mall as Lin moved through the shopping center, attacking strangers seemingly at random.

Shanghai knife attack kills three on eve of China's National Day. This is the latest in a series of stabbing incidents in major Chinese cities this year.#China pic.twitter.com/1n6JVy3mBK

— Radio Free Asia (@RadioFreeAsia) October 2, 2024

 

Zheng, a 28-year-old construction worker, had just finished eating when he witnessed people running in terror. “We saw the man with his knives and tried to stop him,” Zheng recounted. He and a friend attempted to slow the attacker down by throwing chairs at him, but Lin moved too quickly, disappearing to the second floor. “As everything became chaotic, we could only work out where he had gone to by hearing people’s screams,” Zheng said. He noted that as Lin stabbed his victims, he was shouting expletives in Chinese, adding to the sense of terror. Zheng believes Lin had carefully planned his route through the mall, suggesting, “I believe he deliberately chose the exits; he must have scouted the area beforehand.”

 

 

Outside the mall, two young stallholders who witnessed Lin’s arrest described how he walked calmly out of the building, holding a knife in each hand. Even after committing such horrific violence, Lin appeared composed. “He carried himself as if he was in control of the situation,” they told the BBC, emphasizing his chilling demeanor even as police apprehended him. Video footage of his arrest, shared widely on social media, showed his jacket splattered with what appeared to be the blood of his victims.

🚨#BREAKING: At least 3 dead, 15 injured in knife attack at supermarket in Shanghai, China; suspect arrested by authorities. pic.twitter.com/Ks6mbLuc1U

— World Source News 24/7 (@Worldsource24) October 1, 2024

 

Authorities have since reported that Lin had come to Shanghai with the intention of "venting his anger" due to a personal economic dispute. Despite the tragedy, by the next day, the mall was back to business as usual. The blood had been cleaned up, and there was little evidence of the horror that had taken place just hours earlier. Yet for those who lived through the ordeal, the shock remains.

 

One young shopkeeper, who was not at work during the attack, said she is now afraid to return. “It’s like a movie. You can’t believe there’d be something so terrifying right next to you,” she said, pointing to the increased security presence near her store. She admitted feeling somewhat reassured by the extra officers, but her fear persists. Many of her colleagues who were present during the attack have yet to return to work, too shaken by the experience. “None of them came to work today. They say they don’t dare to return,” she shared.

 

Another woman, who runs a small electronics stall, narrowly escaped the attack by mere minutes. “When I heard about it later, I was so scared I couldn’t sleep,” she said, visibly shaken by the thought of how close she had come to danger. 

This stabbing is the latest in a series of knife attacks in China, prompting ongoing discussions about societal pressures and mental health issues. Some have raised concerns that economic difficulties may be contributing to increased violence, although no justification can explain such acts of terror. Others suggest these attacks are copycat crimes, as similar incidents have occurred throughout the country in recent years.

 

The Chinese government, however, appears eager to minimize public discussion of the attack. Social media platforms are tightly censoring images and conversations about the incident. Despite this, some people have expressed relief that China’s strict gun control laws prevent more deadly outcomes, contrasting the situation with countries like the United States, where access to firearms could result in even more fatalities in such scenarios. 

 

Still, the attempt to suppress public discourse surrounding the attack reveals the discomfort this incident has caused among authorities. Many witnesses and store staff were barred from speaking to the media, with managers intervening during interviews. For those like Zheng, the quick return to normalcy at the mall feels surreal. “I can only feel sorrow for the victims,” he said, reflecting on the lack of public recognition for the lives lost.

 

Based on a report from: BBC | X 2024-10-03