Four Chinese schoolkids 'bloodied and bruised' after alleged attack by art teacher
Suspect Lei Mingxing is now on the run and being hunted by police, as authorities investigate what triggered such violence
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 10 September, 2014, 7:14pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 10 September, 2014, 7:15pm
Kathy Gao [email protected]
Two of the children were being treated for brain contusions, while two others were being treated for head lacerations. Photo: Weibo
Four primary schoolchildren were severely injured after being assaulted by their art teacher in China’s western Shanxi province on Tuesday.
The teacher, Lei Mingxing, 35, fled the scene and is now on the run after beating the six- to seven-year-olds, according to the Zhenping government.
Two of the children were in hospital for brain contusions, while the other two were being treated for scalp lacerations, according to a news bulletin on the Zhenping county government’s website.
The children said the attack happened after they were called to the teacher's office while he was holding a class. Photo: Weibo
The children – three boys and one girl – said they did not know what caused Lei to hurt them.
The four students, half from Grade One and half from Grade Two, were asked to visit Lei’s office while he was giving an art lesson at 1pm on Tuesday. Afterwards, Lei allegedly attacked the children, although the exact circumstances remained unclear.
Photos circulating on Weibo purportedly taken after the incident showed at least one of the children with what appeared to be blood on his clothes and open wounds on the back of his head.
A photo shows one of the boys with his head wrapped in bandages. Photo: Weibo
Another photo showed the same boy with his head wrapped in bandages and later resting with an IV drip attached to his arm.
One photo in the series showed a room, possibly the classroom at the small school, with a trail of blood stains across the floor.
The Zhenping government said local police and officials were searching for Lei, who has since been suspended from duty. The country government said police were still investigating the case and, if found liable, would “severely punish” Lei “in accordance with laws and disciplines”.
The teacher accused of attacking the children is now on the run, authorities said. Photo: Weibo
He Yong, from the local education authority, told a local newspaper that the primary school had 22 students – 13 in preschool, four in Grade One and five in Grade Two.
He added that Lei had teaching credentials and had been working as a teacher since 1998. He joined the current primary school in September last year.
