Cop killer motivated by vengeance: security bureau

By Qian Yanfeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-07-08 07:08

SHANGHAI: The man suspected of stabbing 10 police officers, killing six, last Tuesday was seeking revenge on Zhabei district cops, the municipal public security bureau said Monday.

Yang Jia, the 28-year-old Beijing resident detained over the killing spree, was enraged when Zhabei police interrogated him after he rented a stolen bicycle in October, the bureau said at a press conference.

The bureau also said police station video footage showed the man hurling insults at officers when questioned over the theft.

After his release, Yang repeatedly demanded compensation from the police over the incident. Unsatisfied with their responses, he planned to lay siege to the police station armed with a knife, a hammer, a can of mace and a dust mask. He set fire to the station's gate and injured a security guard before breaking into the building and attacking officers on four different floors.

He was apprehended at the scene and remained in detention until municipal prosecutors Monday ratified his arrest warrant, charging him with premeditated murder.

A judicial ruling found Yang was not insane during the rampage and would consequently bear legal responsibility for his actions, police said.

Zhang Tao, a lawyer from a Shanghai-based law firm, said the incident underscored the necessity of strengthening local police officers' self-defense capabilities and demonstrated that police should exercise greater care when dealing with disputes involving migrants.

"People coming from outside Shanghai may feel lonely and marginalized, so we should pay more attention to their special interests," Zhang said.

Prosecutors Monday ratified arrest warrants for another four suspects who allegedly assaulted police and interfered with their official duties in Beijing.

One suspect was detained on Wednesday, when he threatened police with a 20-cm knife after his wife was cited for a traffic violation while riding her bicycle.

Another suspect surnamed Liu took a 40-cm knife to the urban administration office on Wednesday after officers confiscated watermelons he had been selling without a permit. He injured one worker and beat up a police officer.

Two other suspects beat up an officer when they resisted a summons to the police station on Thursday.