A Chinese court has handed a suspended death sentence to a man who injured over a dozen children by ramming his car into a crowd outside a primary school in central China.
Thirty folks, including 18 children, were hurt in the event in Changde City on 19 November. In China, it was the second time in a week that a group was attacked.
If Huang Wen doesn’t commit another crime in the next two years, his suspended death word could be commuted to life in prison.
However, the decision sparked online censure, with some users of social media accusing the court of being liberal with Huang.
Huang, who had experienced financial loss and family discord, claimed in a statement that he carried out the harm to vent his fury.
The actual number of injuries from the Changde City affair was first known after the punishment. Many of the comments about it have been removed from social advertising.
Just days before, a man who was reportedly unhappy over his divorce settlement, ploughed his car into a crowd in Zuhai, killing 35 people.
Some observers have described such attacks as acts of vengeance against society. Others say these incidents underscore some people’s pent-up frustrations over China’s economy.
” Why does he deserve a disqualification”? one Weibo users said of Huang.
” For vicious cases need to be dealt with seriously and quickly for deterrence”, another commented.
Videos that were widely circulated right away after the attack showed terrified children fleeing to safety, others fleeing in despair, and an unhappy pedestrian kicking his car with a snow shovel while he was nevertheless outside.
The judge said Huang’s activities at that time reflected “extremely serious legal circumstances” he was in.
The Huang received social rights for life as part of his sentence.