A court in southern China today upheld the death sentence of a former medical worker who was convicted of stabbing eight children to death last month.
The Fujian Provincial Higher People's Court rejected the appeal from Zheng Minsheng, 41, for the murders that shocked China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xinhua said Zheng said at his first trial that he had been rejected by a woman and treated unfairly by her wealthy family, and that he admitted to "intentionally killing" the children on March 23 as they stood outside the gates of the Nanping Experimental Elementary School.
He appealed both the verdict and the sentencing.
Xinhua said Zheng had no history of mental illnesses and that police investigations showed he carried out the attacks due to frustration from breaking up with his girlfriend.
China has witnessed a series of school attacks in recent years, most blamed on people with personal grudges or suffering from mental illness, leading to calls for improved security.
Last week, a mentally ill man with a meat cleaver went on a stabbing rampage near an elementary school in the southern province of Guangxi, hacking to death a second grader and an 81-year-old woman and injuring five others.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments