Shockwaves have been sent throughout the internet due to a indiscriminate knife attack incident that occurred at Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology in Jiangsu Province. Local authorities reported that the primary reason behind the suspect’s violent actions was attributed to failing exams and not receiving his graduation certificate, in addition to being dissatisfied with his internship wages.
However, suspected insider sources have revealed further details related to the case, shedding light on how the suspect was driven to a breaking point. These sources have disclosed undisclosed information about how the school leaders had previously exploited and mistreated the students, as well as how the suspect’s family’s appeals were redirected from the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, hinting at murky dealings behind the scenes.
On November 16, in the campus of Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology in Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, a 21-year-old man carried out a indiscriminate knife attack on students within the campus. According to police reports, the attack resulted in 8 deaths and 17 injuries, and the suspect, Xu Moujin, was subsequently arrested.
This incident marks the second large-scale indiscriminate attack within a week following the case where 35 people died in Zhuhai due to car ramming into pedestrians.
On November 17, Secretary of Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, Xinchang Xing, emphasized the importance of studying Xi Jinping’s important instructions regarding the case of the car ramming incident in Zhuhai during a province-wide video conference. He called for thorough investigation to identify and resolve various conflicts and risks at the grassroots level.
Information circulating online purportedly from official insiders has revealed more about the case, including the circumstances that led the suspect to the edge. It is suggested that the school leadership had mistreated and persecuted the students, and the suspect’s family had lodged complaints with the provincial authorities but faced roadblocks and were ignored.
Reported chat records from someone using the pseudonym “Jiaofangdian-Weizifu” indicated insights into the attacker’s motivations. The suspect was reportedly a graduate of Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology who attacked due to failing exams and dissatisfaction with internship wages, as per police reports.
However, according to the insider, the failure in the exams was claimed by the school, not recognized by the perpetrator. The suspect only admitted dissatisfaction with wages. The insider further explained that the suspect faced expulsion and non-payment by the factory for reported exam failure, alongside bullying in campus and harassment by senior factory workers, which were previously reported to relevant authorities. This pressure eventually led him down a tragic path.
Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology, a publicly operated institution under the Jiangsu Provincial Education Department, has faced similar issues multiple times. This recent violent incident is the fourth criminal case this year, with the most severe consequences. The last incident involved the Director of the Academic Affairs Office being physically assaulted by students due to salary disputes.
Insiders disclosed that, despite reaching out to the anti-corruption office, the suspect’s family encountered hindrances. However, when their concerns were escalated to higher authorities, a special investigation team led by the school principal was organized. The suspect’s family had originally reported the principal and the Academic Affairs Office.
Notably, the suspect intended to confront the school authorities regarding the unfair treatment but ended up attacking students instead, as they fled upon seeing the weapon.
Independent verification of the information disclosed by the source is currently unavailable to journalists.
Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology is a full-time regular higher education institution affiliated with the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education. It currently comprises six secondary colleges including the Ceramic College and four public teaching units such as the Marxism College, with 603 faculty members and over 12,000 students.
The attack occurred just a day after the school held its athletics meet on November 14th and 15th. The school principal, Sun Zhenqiu, had expressed the importance of nurturing “constructors and successors of socialist construction.”
Following the indiscriminate knife attack at Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology, an alleged suicide note attributed to the suspect, Xu Jiajin, circulated online. The note commenced with the remark, “When the avalanche falls, no snowflake is innocent”, emphasizing the collective nature of responsibility. The note detailed grievances against the factory’s exploitative practices, accusing them of withholding wages and denying benefits, eventually leading to his desperate actions.
Despite the heightened interest in this case following the Zhuhai car accident, which occurred just five days earlier, numerous media reports related to the incident were deleted, and social media platforms restricted discussions. It wasn’t until late at night, at 11:30 pm when CCTV News posted the Yixing Public Security briefing, that some information was allowed limited discussion. However, on Sina Weibo, the topic was flagged as “content not available,” and was unable to trend on the hot search list.