Beijing attacker held in Shenzhen

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-06 09:37

A man who stabbed two foreign tourists in Beijing last week while trying to rob them was arrested on Tuesday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, police said on Wednesday.

Wang Yan, 34, was arrested at about 10:30 pm in Shenzhen, the Beijing public security bureau said.

Wang, who comes from Qiqihar, Heilongjiang province, confessed to attacking the tourists in two separate incidents on Oct 29, police said.

He will be taken back to Beijing soon for further questioning, they said.

The tourists, one from the United States, identified only as Joseph; and the other from Russia, identified as Stepanenko Victor, were admitted to hospital for treatment.

The American has since been discharged, while the Russian is still in hospital.

Wang attacked Joseph at about 11:50 am at a parking lot near Beijing's Fulllink Plaza. He failed to rob him but wounded him slightly in the buttocks.

About an hour later, Wang robbed and stabbed Victor in a restaurant near Beijing railway station. He fled with Victor's laptop computer and wallet after stabbing him four times in the arm and stomach.

Zhang Yupei, president of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said Victor was recovering well from his injuries.