Yan Yanming
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

This is a list of
mass stabbing A mass stabbing is a single incident in which multiple victims are injured or killed with a sharp object thrusted at the victims, piercing through the skin and injuring the victims. Examples of sharp instruments used in mass stabbings may includ ...
s that took place before 2010. It includes incidents in which there were at least three casualties (killed or injured).


1930s


RMS ''Empress of Canada'' (1931)

At approximately 9:30 a.m. ( UTC+09:00) on 5 June 1931, Graciano Bilas, a 42-year-old Filipino
steerage Steerage is a term for the lowest category of passenger accommodation in a ship. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, considerable numbers of persons travelled from their homeland to seek a new life elsewhere, in many cases North Amer ...
passenger, began stabbing people randomly with a
pocketknife A pocketknife (also spelled as pocket knife) is a knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle. They are also known as jackknives, folding knives, Everyday carry, EDC knife, or may be referred to as a penknife, though a penknife may a ...
aboard the '' Empress of Canada''. Bilas, a plantation laborer in Hawaii, had boarded the ship on 29 May to sail to the Philippines. At the time of the attack, the ''Empress of Canada'' was en route from
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
to
Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
and was located at . After engaging in a friendly conversation with a Canadian crew member, Bilas stabbed him and two others who happened to be nearby. The assailant continued to attack crew members and passengers, stabbing several from behind in the steerage and alleyways. Crew members searched for half an hour for Bilas before finding him in the ship's
bow BOW as an acronym may refer to: * Bag of waters, amniotic sac * Bartow Municipal Airport (IATA:BOW), a public use airport near Bartow, Florida, United States * Basic operating weight of an aircraft * BOW counties, made of Brown, Outagamie, and Winn ...
. He was restrained and arrested, with accounts differing as to whether he surrendered or was forcibly taken into custody. Bilas was kept in the brig under armed guard as the ship sailed to Hong Kong, where he was charged with
murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...
. Two Chinese crew members,
chief engineer A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "Chief" or "ChEng", is the most senior licensed mariner (engine officer) of an engine department on a ship, typically a merchant ship, and holds overall leadership and the responsibility of that departmen ...
Chan Yue and
cabin boy A cabin boy or ship's boy is a boy or young man who waits on the officers and passengers of a ship, especially running errands for the captain. The modern merchant navy successor to the cabin boy is the steward's assistant. Duties Cabin boys ...
Chan Ching (or Chang Ching), were killed. Twenty-nine others were wounded. As of the day after the attack, eight Japanese and nine Chinese victims were in critical condition, while two Chinese victims were feared to have been fatally wounded. At least four crew members and eleven passengers were stabbed. In late June 1931, Bilas' trial began in Hong Kong. Despite the high number of casualties, he was only charged with the killing of Chan Yue. The knife used in the attack and a statement made by Bilas were presented as evidence. In the statement, Bilas said that he targeted Japanese passengers because he suspected that they were planning to throw him overboard. The ''Empress of Canada''s surgeon testified that he believed Bilas suffered from manic depressive psychosis, stating that Bilas was incoherent after the attack, refused food and drink, and would stand for hours in one position. In July, Bilas was found insane and committed to a psychiatric hospital.


1950s


Nainital, India (1950)

The Nainital wedding massacre was a
mass murder Mass murder is the violent crime of murder, killing a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. A mass murder typically occurs in a single location where one or more ...
that occurred during a wedding in
Nainital Nainital (Kumaoni language, Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a town and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the Uttarakhand High Court, High Court of the state being ...
, India on 21 April 1950, when a drunk
Gurkha The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with the endonym Gorkhali ( Nepali: गोर्खाली ), are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of North India. The Gurkha units consist of Nepali and ...
soldier stabbed 22 guests at a wedding, all of them apparently fatally. The man, who was armed with a machete, was enraged by a low caste money lender marrying a girl of the higher social standing
Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
caste, and stabbed the Harijan members. All of his victims were members of the
Harijan Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold var ...
caste.


Skåne County, Sweden (1952)

On 21 August 1952, Tore Hedin began killing after his ex-girlfriend, Ulla Östberg, did not return to him. He first killed his parents and set their house aflame. He then went to Östberg's workplace, a retirement home, and he killed her and the matron with an axe. He set the retirement home on fire as well, killing five of its residents. Hedin had previously killed a friend of his in 1951, similarly burning the home to erase evidence.


Mahagi, Belgian Congo (1954)

In 1954, Ugandan police constable William Unek used an axe to kill 21 people in one and a half hours near Mahagi, Belgian Congo. Three years later, Unek went on another rampage near Mwanza, Tanganyika, killing 36 people using an axe, a knife, a rifle, as well as burning and strangulation.African killer still at large, ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' (February 16, 1957)
He was killed after attempting to evade police during a manhunt.


1960s


San Carlos, Chile (1960)

On August 20, Jorge Valenzuela Torres murdered a mother and five of her children with a
scythe A scythe (, rhyming with ''writhe'') is an agriculture, agricultural hand-tool for mowing grass or Harvest, harvesting Crop, crops. It was historically used to cut down or reaping, reap edible grain, grains before they underwent the process of ...
before fleeing. He was arrested the following month and executed in 1963.


Chicago, Illinois (1966)

Richard Speck killed eight student nurses on the night of 13–14 July 1966, holding them captive and stabbing or strangling each of them throughout the night. A ninth student nurse escaped by hiding under a bed. Speck was identified after a suicide attempt, when he was taken to the hospital and a resident physician recognized Speck's tattoo from a description in the news.Fornek, Scott
"Dogged detectives, alert physician nailed Speck"
''Chicago Sun-Times''. July 10, 2006. Reprint.


1980s


Kowloon, Hong Kong (1982)

The Anne Anne Kindergarten stabbing was a mass
stabbing A stabbing is penetrating trauma, penetration or rough contact with a sharp or pointed object at close range. ''Stab'' connotes purposeful action, as by an Assassination, assassin or murderer, but it is also possible to accidentally stab oneself ...
which occurred in
Kowloon Kowloon () is one of the areas of Hong Kong, three areas of Hong Kong, along with Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. It is an urban area comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It has a population of 2,019,533 and a populat ...
,
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
on 3 June 1982. After killing his mother and sister in their flat in
Un Chau Street Estate Un Chau Estate (), or Un Chau Street Estate () before redevelopment, is a Public housing in Hong Kong, public housing estate on the Land reclamation in Hong Kong, reclaimed land of Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong, located between and Cheung S ...
, and also wounding two other women, 28-year-old Lee Chi-hang () entered Anne Anne Kindergarten and stabbed 34 children, killing four of them, and also injured several other people, before he was arrested by police. Lee was found to be insane and was placed in a mental institution. At around 1:30 pm, Lee stabbed his mother and sister in their flat, Room 5274, Block 8, Un Chau Street Estate. They later died in hospital. Armed with two knives with eight-inch blades and two chisels, Lee ran downstairs, stabbing two sisters in the stairwell on the way, and fled to the Anne Anne Kindergarten (), now Precious Bloods Children's School, located on the ground floor of Block 9 Un Chau Estate. He entered the kindergarten, where 60 children between three and four years of age were having a singing lesson, and immediately began slashing and stabbing the children, leaving 34 of them wounded, six of them with their arms nearly severed,Care versus caution
, ''
The Standard The Standard may refer to: Entertainment * The Standard (band), an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon * ''The Standard'' (novel), a 1934 novel by the Austrian writer Alexander Lernet-Holenia * ''The Standard'' (Tommy Flanagan album), 1980 * ...
'' (18 January 1998)
and four with fatal injuries. One of the teachers shouted "follow me" to the students, causing many to run outside. She ran to the estate's neighbourhood policing unit on the ground floor of Block 10 for help. Two police officers arrived at the scene. Lee fled to the playground, where he stabbed constable Chan Kin Ming in the chest. Ignoring the injured policeman's orders to drop his weapons, Lee continued stabbing at passers-by, wounding two men and a woman and wounding a 14-year-old boy before Chan stopped him with a shot to the left arm and stomach.Running Amok
''
Asiaweek ''Asiaweek'' was an English-language news magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited, a subsidiary of Time Inc. Based in Hong Kong, it was established in 1975, and ceased publication with its 7 December 2001 issue due to a ...
'' (18 June 1982)
A total of 38 injured children were taken to
Caritas Medical Centre Caritas Medical Centre () is a Roman Catholic founded district general hospital in So Uk, Cheung Sha Wan, New Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is the largest hospital in Sham Shui Po District and co-managed by the Hospital Authority and Caritas Hong Kong. ...
while the injured police constable was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital. Chief Secretary
Philip Haddon-Cave Sir Charles Philip Haddon-Cave, (; 6 July 1925 – 27 September 1999) was a British colonial administrator. He was the Financial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1971 to 1981 and the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong from 1981 to 1985. During his ten ...
and other government officials, who had coincidentally been visiting the nearby Cheung Sha Wan fish market, arrived soon after to inspect the scene and offer condolences. Lee, who was diagnosed with
schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
, was the son of Lee Chiu-wing () and Leung Lai-kuen. According to his father, he was a silent boy who did poorly in school, showed strange behaviour, and spoke incoherently. In 1976, he was admitted to
Castle Peak Hospital Castle Peak Hospital is the oldest and largest psychiatric hospital in Hong Kong. Located east of Castle Peak in Tuen Mun, the hospital was established in 1961. It has 1,156 beds, providing a wide variety of psychiatric services such as adu ...
, a mental institution, for six months, after fighting with a neighbour. He subsequently received treatment at the Yaumatei Psychiatric Centre. Lee frequently had depression and threatened to kill his parents during an argument in January 1979. In the time prior to the stabbing, he was unemployed and was said to have appeared emotionally unstable. After the stabbing, security measures at nursery schools were upgraded, and it was made compulsory for discharged patients of mental institutions to regularly attend psychiatric out-patient clinics. Lee was charged with six counts of murder, and in April 1983 he was sentenced to be detained in a mental hospital for an unspecified period. As of January 1998 he was still being held at the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre in
Tuen Mun Tuen Mun () or Castle Peak is an area near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in what is now Hong Kong and can be dated to the Neolithic period. In the mo ...
. The 1986 film ''The Lunatics'' by
Derek Yee Derek Yee Tung-sing () is a Hong Kong filmmaker and former actor. Early life Yee was born Yee Tung-sing in Hong Kong on 28 December 1957, the son of Yee Kwong (), a film producer from Tianjin, Tientsin (Tianjin), and Hung Wei (), an actress of ...
is based on the incident.


Banjarsari, Indonesia (1987)

The Banjarsari massacre occurred on 15 April 1987, when a 42-year-old farmer named Wirjo killed 20 people and wounded 12 others in the village of Banjarsari in
Banyuwangi Regency Banyuwangi Regency (, ) is a Regency (Indonesia), regency of East Java province in Indonesia. This regency also known as ''the sun rise of Java'' because it is located at the easternmost end of Java (island), Java Island. The town of Banyuwang ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
. The massacre began at Wirjo's home, where he attacked his adoptive son Renny and his friend Arbaiyah, both 4-years-old, with a
parang Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, Mestizo, Pardo, and African heritage, something whic ...
and a sickle. While Renny managed to escape, Arbaiyah was hit in the neck and died. Wirjo then entered the home of Maskur, a neighbour, where he first killed Mrs Maskur with the sickle, before turning on her 80-year-old husband, who tried to help her. Afterwards he made his way through the village, assaulting people at random. Then the people from the village tried to find Wirjo but failed, only to be met by many dead bodies spread across a field. By the end of the day Wirjo had hacked a total of 32 people, most of them farmers on the way to their fields and students going to school. 18 of his victims died at the scene, while two others later succumbed to their wounds in hospital. As the culprit was nowhere to be found authorities temporarily suspended classes at local schools, while people locked themselves in their homes. After an extensive manhunt, including police, dogs, and the army, Wirjo was found the next day just west of his house, dangling from the roots of a tree growing over a riverbank. He had committed
suicide by hanging Suicide by hanging is the intentional killing of oneself (suicide) via suspension from an anchor-point such as an overhead beam or hook, by a rope or cord or by jumping from a height with a noose around the neck. Hanging is often considered to ...
himself with his belt.Sekali mengamuk 20 nyawa melayang
'' Tempo magazine'' (April 25, 1987)
Dogs join hunt for man who killed 18
'' New Straits Times Malaysia'' (18 April 1987)


Chantada, Spain (1989)

On March 8, 1989, Paulino Fernández stabbed seven people to death and injured at least six others in
Chantada Chantada, is a municipality in the province of Lugo, Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Chantada is situated on the left bank of the Río Asma, a small right-hand tributary of the Minho (river), Minho river, and on the main road from Ourense, 29&nb ...
, Spain, before killing himself.


Nafang, China (1989)

On the afternoon of 19 March 1989, Huang Guozhen became intoxicated, set fire to his house and drove to his brother's house, killing his brother and his wife with a firewood knife. Guozhen then proceeded to travel to the local market and began to kill individuals at random, including children and the elderly. In total, he killed 16–17 people and injured two others. Sometime before the rampage killing, Huang became embroiled in a dispute with his brother, Huang Xiangbang. Guozhen was eventually subdued by bystanders Huang Guoqin and local CCP party secretary Zhou Youbang. Guozhen was arrested and tried ten days later in
Qinzhou Qinzhou ( postal: Yamchow or Yen Chow, , Jyutping: ''Jam1 zau1'' ( Canton) /''Ham1 zau1'' (Local) ) is a prefecture-level city in south-central Guangxi, southern China, lying on the Gulf of Tonkin and having a total population of 3,302,238 as ...
. He was sentenced to death in front of a crowd of 10,000 people and was quickly executed on the same day.


1990s


Auckland, New Zealand (1990)

On 16 July 1990, a mentally ill woman attacked the courtyard of the
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
Kadimah College's primary school in
Central Auckland The Auckland isthmus, also known as the Tāmaki isthmus, is a narrow stretch of land on the North Island of New Zealand in the Auckland Region, and the location of the central suburbs of the city of Auckland and the central business district. ...
, stabbing four children with a knife while screaming
antisemitic Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
slogans. The attack continued as other young students looked on "in horror", while members of staff ran to help the children. The woman, 52-year-old Pauline Janet Williamson, was eventually disarmed by a male teacher, Mr Yurovitch. The children, aged 6 to 8, were hospitalised immediately afterwards; all survived, after receiving intensive surgery. They were identified by police as 6-year-old twins Nicholas and Samuel Henderson; Simon Clark, 6, and Damon Bree, 8. This apparently random act of antisemitic violence in New Zealand, a country known to be tolerant of its Jewish community, shocked many. However, it followed the desecration of several Jewish graves in
Dunedin Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...
by two months, which itself was a copycat of an attack on Jewish graves in
Carpentras Carpentras (, formerly ; Provençal dialect, Provençal Occitan language, Occitan: ''Carpentràs'' in classical norm or ''Carpentras'' in Mistralian norm; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the ...
, in the
South of France Southern France, also known as the south of France or colloquially in French as , is a geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', Atlas e ...
. As the pupils played in the school courtyard before school was due to start on Monday, 16 July 1990, mental health outpatient Pauline Janet Williamson ran onto the school courtyard, where 6 year olds Nicholas and Sam Henderson and Simon Clark, and 8-year-old Damon Bree were playing. She then produced a 4-inch, stay-sharp vegetable knife and began screaming antisemitic slogans and a Jewish surname (not one shared by any of the victims), before wildly lacerating these four children.


Birmingham, United Kingdom (1994)

The Rackhams' stabbing incident refers to a
mass stabbing A mass stabbing is a single incident in which multiple victims are injured or killed with a sharp object thrusted at the victims, piercing through the skin and injuring the victims. Examples of sharp instruments used in mass stabbings may includ ...
incident in 1994 where a British man, David Cedric Morgan (then 30 years old), stabbed 15 people in a
Rackhams Rackhams was a British department store that opened in Birmingham, England in 1881. The business became part of the Harrods group in 1955, before Harrods was purchased by House of Fraser in 1959. As part of the Harrods grouping in House of Fraser ...
department store in
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, England. Three people were seriously injured and needed surgeries. In addition of those stabbed, five people were treated for shock.Slasher Injures 15 in Department Store
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
(8 December 1994)
Morgan, who originated from
Aston Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Located immediately to the north-west of Birmingham city centre, Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a wards of the United Kingdom, war ...
, was
schizophrenic Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
. In October 1994, he visited his GP, complaining of "evil thoughts" about attacking women.Knifeman told of 'evil thoughts' before attack
''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' (6 February 1996)
He had been admitted to the
All Saints' Hospital, Winson Green All Saints' Hospital was a mental health hospital and facility in Winson Green, Birmingham, England. History All Saints' Hospital was founded in 1847 by Mayor Robert Martineau. It was designed by DR Hill (who also designed HM Prison Birmingham) ...
in 1988 following the death of his father, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia and
hypomania Hypomania (literally "under mania" or "less than mania") is a Psychiatry, psychiatric Abnormality (behavior), behavioral syndrome characterized essentially by an apparently non-contextual elevation of Mood (psychology), mood (i.e., euphoria) th ...
and depressive psychosis. After treatment psychiatrists said that he had recovered and he was discharged with directions that he should receive support from the community psychiatric team and continue on his course of drugs for three months. In 1992 and 1993, Morgan was twice arrested for attacking women in the street. On both occasions he was conditionally discharged, but the psychiatric services were not alerted and there was no further contact until he visited his GP asking for help in the autumn of 1994. On 8 December 1994, the then-30-year-old Morgan visited a Rackhams department store that was packed with Christmas shoppers, wielding a 10-inch-long butcher's knife and a 12-inch
bread knife Bread knives are used for cutting bread and are one of many kitchen knife, kitchen knives used by cooks. The serrated blades of bread knives are able to cut soft bread without crushing it. History One such knife was exhibited at the World's Co ...
, first attacked manager Karen Crosby, 35, on the Estee Lauder perfume counter at 10:20 am. Jan Twining, 50, was browsing Christmas cards when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned round, and Morgan slashed her in the neck. Kay Pilkington was slashed in the throat, needing 12 stitches because of the wound. Moving to the jewellery he attacked two more women, chasing one around the store. One victim nearly had her
windpipe The trachea (: tracheae or tracheas), also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all animals' lungs. The trachea extends from ...
slashed. Two female security officers who tried to help customers as Morgan attacked them on the floor, were injured. Several of the victims pleaded with Morgan to spare them from his attack. After slashing 15 women, Morgan was finally accosted by police as he wandered around the first floor. Keith Hart, 43, armed himself with a golf club from the store's sports department. He managed to subdue Morgan, along with 38-year-old Sgt James Lavery, by firstly ordering him to put his weapon down.From the Archives: The nightmare before Christmas at Rackham's
''Birmingham Mail'' (8 December 2010)
Morgan later told police he had come to the store "to cut someone". Morgan was arrested and brought to court, and despite a disagreement between his legal team and the
NHS The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...
, it was later determined by a psychologist that Morgan was vulnerable and isolated but apparently suffered from no mental illnesses. Morgan was sentenced to life imprisonment in February 1996. He admitted to nine offences of wounding with intent to cause
grievous bodily harm Assault occasioning grievous bodily harm (often abbreviated to GBH) is a term used in English criminal law to describe the severest forms of battery. It refers to two offences that are created by sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the ...
and one of assault. The judge told Morgan that "There can be no doubt that you are an extremely dangerous man. It is certain you must be detained until you cease to represent a risk to public safety – if that time never comes, so be it." He also recommended that Morgan not be put forward for parole before serving at least 12 years in prison. In 2002, he was transferred from the
Broadmoor Hospital Broadmoor Hospital is a high-security psychiatric hospital in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England. It is the oldest of England's three high-security psychiatric hospitals, the other two being Ashworth Hospital near Liverpool and Rampton Secure ...
to a medium security unit where he would be allowed on escorted shopping trips as part of rehabilitation. In 2006, Morgan, then 43 years old, was released into the community to go shopping. At the time he was being treated at the
Stafford Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, England. It is located about south of Stoke-on-Trent, north of Wolverhampton, and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 71,673 at the 2021–2022 United Kingd ...
's
St George's Hospital St George's Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Tooting, London. Founded in 1733, it is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals. It is run by the St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It shares its main hospital site i ...
. A documentary from ''
World in Action ''World in Action'' was a British investigative current affairs programme made by Granada Television for ITV from 7 January 1963 until 7 December 1998. Its campaigning journalism frequently had a major impact on events of the day. Its product ...
'' about Morgan, titled "Terror in Store", was made shortly after his conviction and sentencing in 1996.


Naples, Florida (1995)

In the early hours of November 15, 1995, 26-Year old Brandy Bain Jennings and 19-year old Charles Jason Graves killed 3 former co-workers at a
Cracker Barrel Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., trading as Cracker Barrel, is an American chain of restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company's headquarters are in Lebanon, Tennessee, where Cracker Barrel was founded by Da ...
in
Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 19,115, down from 19,539 at the 2010 census. Naples is a principal city of the Collier County, Florida, Naples–Marc ...
. Jennings & Graves robbed the restaurant and slit the throats of 18-year old Jason Wiggins, 38-Year old Dorothy Siddle, and 27-year old Vicki Smith. Both suspects were caught a year later in
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
and were sentenced to death.


Chenggu County, China (1998)

The Chenggu axe massacre was a mass murder that occurred in
Chenggu County Chenggu County () is a county of Hanzhong, in the southwest of Shaanxi province, China. History Unique archaeological evidence on contacts with Xingan culture (Jiangxi) was found there at Sucun. Administrative divisions , Chenggu County is ...
,
Hanzhong Hanzhong ( zh, s= , t= , l=middle of the Han River (Hubei), Han River; abbreviation: Han) is a prefecture-level city in Southern Shaanxi, the southwest of Shaanxi, Shaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the south and Gans ...
,
Shaanxi Shaanxi is a Provinces of China, province in north Northwestern China. It borders the province-level divisions of Inner Mongolia to the north; Shanxi and Henan to the east; Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan to the south; and Gansu and Ningxia to t ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
on June 23, 1998, when Yang Mingxin, a 39-year-old local farmer, killed nine people, and wounded three others with an axe. Yang, who was described as reticent, had refused to sell ten stolen geese for another farmer named Guo Baoning, and when the owner of the geese later caught him, Guo suspected Yang had informed on him. After a heated argument between the two, during which Guo threatened to kill Yang's family, Yang armed himself with an axe and hacked twelve villagers between 4 months and 71 years of age. Unable to locate Guo he eventually tried to commit suicide by drinking insecticide and hanging himself, but was rescued and taken to a hospital.


Krông Pắk District, Vietnam (1998)

Dương Văn Môn, a member of the Nùng minority, was a poor rice farmer, and was said to have once had an unspecified mental illness. When his mother died he reportedly dug a grave on village property, but was then denied to use it, and therefore had to bury her in his own garden. He also got severely into debt to finance the traditional funeral feast. On the third day of the festivities, when his guests began to complain that there was not enough to drink and eat, the 35-year-old armed himself with two machete-like knives and began to attack his relatives and neighbours. He first stabbed an elderly woman preparing food in his house, as well as a child, and eventually began chasing people throughout the village, killing a total of eleven people, among them seven children, and leaving six others injured, including his wife. One of the wounded died in hospital, according to early reports. Afterwards he tried to commit
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
by swallowing
insecticide Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, i ...
, but was forced to vomit it when he was captured by villagers hours later. He was then arrested by police and brought to a hospital. Môn was
sentenced to death Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
for the murder of eleven people in November 1998.


Shimonoseki, Japan (1999)

On 29 September 1999. Yasuaki Uwabe, a 35-year-old former
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
, drove a car into
Shimonoseki Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The station is a freight depot of the Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight). Lines ...
and then stabbed passers-by at random, killing five people and injuring 10 others, before being arrested at the scene. Uwabe was
sentenced to death Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
in 2002 and executed in 2012.


2000s


Orleans, Ontario


Ikeda, Japan

On 8 June 2001, ex-convict Mamoru Takuma began stabbing students and teachers with a kitchen knife at Ikeda Elementary School in Ikeda, Japan. He killed eight students and injured thirteen students and two teachers.


Manchester, United Kingdom

While attempting to escape from police officers in Manchester, Kamel Bourgass used a kitchen knife to stab four police officers, killing anti-terrorism detective Stephen Oake.


Midlothian, Illinois

On June 4, 2004, 26-year-old Brett Carlson stabbed six people at a strip mall in
Midlothian Midlothian (; ) is registration county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh council ar ...
, killing 1-year-old Ashley Hurt. In 2007, Carlson was sentenced to 50 years in prison.


Ruzhou, China

On 26 November 2004, Yan Yanming (Chinese: 闫彦明; 1983 – January 18, 2005) entered a dormitory at the Ruzhou Number Two High School in Ruzhou, China on November 26, 2004, with a knife and attacked twelve boys, killing nine of them. After the attack, Yanming ran away from the school, but was arrested hours later after he survived a suicide attempt because his mother had reported his location to the Ruzhou police. After trial, Yanming was
sentenced to death Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
and executed on January 18, 2005, in
Pingdingshan Pingdingshan ( zh, s=平顶山, t=平頂山, p=Píngdǐngshān), also known as Eagle City ( zh, s=鹰城, p=Yīngchéng, t=鷹城), is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, China. It had 4,904,701 inhabitants at the 2010 census who ...
.


New York City, New York

Between June 13 and June 14, 20-year-old Kenny Alexis randomly stabs four people within a 13-hour time span in
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
. In 2009, Alexis was sentenced to 34 years in prison.


Jilin Province, China

On 24 September 2006, Shi Yuejun killed several people who he believed had wronged him. He continued killing through September 29 before he was caught in a 14,000-person manhunt.A级通缉犯石悦军妻子称其曾看心理医生
''
Sina.com Sina Corporation () is a Chinese technology company. Sina operates four major business lines: Sina Weibo, Sina Mobile, Sina Online, and Sinanet. Sina has over 100 million registered users worldwide. Sina was recognized by ''Southern Weekend'' as ...
'' (30 September 2006)
He killed a total of twelve people and injured five more.


Tsuchiura, Japan

On 23 March 2008, went on a stabbing spree in the city of
Tsuchiura is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population in 2024 of 142,181 people in 66,629 households, and a population density of 1,157 persons per squate kilometre. The proportion of the population aged over 65 ...
, which left a 27-year-old man dead and seven others wounded. Police arrested Kanagawa, then 24, who was wanted in an earlier slaying of a 72-year-old man. The man told the investigators that he "just wanted to kill anyone". The suspect, who carried two knives, stabbed the 27-year-old man to death and hurt at least seven others, while the victims were walking along a short hallway connecting Arakawaoki Station. The 27-year-old died as he was being rushed to a nearby hospital. Police said that Kanagawa liked games and that he hid out in
Akihabara is a neighborhood in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo, Japan, generally considered to be the area surrounding Akihabara Station (nicknamed ''Akihabara Electric Town''). This area is part of the and Kanda-Sakumachō districts of Chiyoda. There is an ...
while escaping. Some media outlets claimed that he murdered people under the influence of '' Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword''. He reportedly sought
capital punishment Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence (law), sentence ordering that an offender b ...
. Tomohiro Katō, who committed the
Akihabara massacre The was an incident of mass murder that took place on 8June 2008, in the Akihabara shopping quarter in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The perpetrator, 25-year-old of Susono, Shizuoka, vehicle-ramming attack, drove into a crowd with a rented truck, ini ...
, is alleged to have posted a message which referred to his case. The Mito District Court sentenced him to death on December 18, 2009, and he was executed by hanging on February 21, 2013.


Tokyo, Japan

On 8 June 2008, Tomohiro Katō drove a rented truck into a crowd and then jumped out with a dagger. He stabbed at least twelve people before he was pursued and captured by police. Four people died of stab wounds, and three died from the truck attack.


Osaka, Japan

On 23 June 2008, a middle-aged woman stabbed two university students and a company executive in the arm at
Ōsaka Station is a major railway station in the Umeda district of Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It forms as one of the city's main railway terminals to the north, the other being Shin-Ōsaka Station, Shin-Ōsaka. Al ...
, leaving them only with light injuries.


Shanghai, China


Beijing, China

Three people were stabbed in Beijing, China, on August 9, 2008, by 47-year-old Tang Yongming of
Hangzhou Hangzhou, , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly romanized as Hangchow is a sub-provincial city in East China and the capital of Zhejiang province. With a population of 13 million, the municipality comprises ten districts, two counti ...
, while visiting the 13th-century Drum Tower in
Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
during the
2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
.American killed at Games was coach's father-in-law
CNN. 2008-08-09
The attacker then leapt to his death from a high balcony on the Drum Tower. The victims were Todd Bachman, a prominent horticulturalist from
Lakeville, Minnesota Lakeville is an exurb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and the largest city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is about south of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul along Interstate 35 in Minnesota, Interstate 35. Lakeville w ...
, his wife Barbara, and their female Chinese national tour guide. Todd Bachman, who died in the attack, was the father of American athlete Elisabeth Bachman and the father-in-law of Team USA men's volleyball coach
Hugh McCutcheon Hugh Donald McCutcheon (born 13 October 1969), a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, is a former volleyball coach. He previously coached the US men's and women's national volleyball team, and was the head coach for the University of Minnesota' ...
, whose team went on to win gold at the Olympic tournament. Barbara Bachman was severely wounded but survived the attack. She and the female Chinese tour guide were listed in stable condition at a Chinese hospital. Elisabeth Bachman was also on the tour but was uninjured. Tang Yongming spent most of his life in the outskirts of Hangzhou, and was a metal presser at the Hangzhou Meter Factory for more than twenty years. He had no previous criminal record, according to investigators. Investigators reported that Tang was distraught over family problems. A colleague who knew Tang said that he had "an unyielding mouth", "grumbled a great deal", and was "very cynical". Another former co-worker said Tang 'had a quick temper and was always complaining about society". Police reported that Tang went through his second divorce in 2006 and grew increasingly despondent when his 21-year-old son started getting into trouble. The son was detained in May 2007 on suspicion of fraud, then received a suspended prison sentence in March 2008 for theft. Shortly after the attacks, the tower was closed to tourists with the surrounding area still open to tourists. Chinese officials strengthened their security measures to alleviate safety concerns. At the time, there were 110,000 officers were stationed in Beijing. There were also 1.7 million volunteers in the city, including 1 million "social volunteers" who " eptan eye out for troublemakers". Beijing Olympic official Wang Wei announced that there would be extra security checks implemented at some scenic areas, and large outdoor screens used to view the games around Beijing were muted or turned off to avoid large crowds.


Seoul, South Korea

The Nonhyeon-dong massacre was a mass murder that occurred in the
Gangnam-gu Gangnam District (; ) is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea. The term ''Gangnam'' translates to "South of the Han River". Gangnam District is the third largest district in Seoul, with an area of . As of the 2024 census, Gangna ...
ward of
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
on October 20, 2008, when 30-year-old Jeong Sang-jin () set
fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
in a
goshiwon A (; lit. "boarding house") is a type of housing in South Korea that is commonly used by working adults but more popular among university students. Typically, ' take the form of a small room with a single bed, desk and a mini fridge. There are s ...
and slashed several women with a sashimi knife. A total of six people died in the incident and seven more were injured. Jeong was sentenced to death on May 12, 2009. At about 8:15 a.m., according to police, Jeong, who lived on the third floor of a four-story gosiwon, a low-cost lodging facility, poured gasoline on his bed and set it ablaze. Dressed all in black, wearing a
headlamp A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
, and hiding his face with a balaclava and
goggles Goggles, or safety glasses, are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes. They are used in chemistry laboratories and ...
, he emerged from his smoke-filled room and, armed with a sashimi knife, two fruit-knives strapped to his legs, and a tear gas gun in a belt holster, began slashing and stabbing the residents of the building who were fleeing the fire. Five people died of the wounds Jeong had inflicted on them with his knife, one woman died when she jumped out of a window in the fourth floor in an attempt to escape, and another seven were injured, four seriously, either by Jeong or the fire. Three of the dead and three of the injured were Chinese citizens. The fire raged in the building for about 30 minutes, before around 100
firefighter A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in specific emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical in ...
s finally succeeded in taming the flames. At 9:20 a.m., Jeong, initially thought to be another victim, was rescued by a fireman from a storage room in the fourth floor where he was hiding. When police noticed his peculiar behavior, Jeong was interrogated at the scene and he confessed to the crime. He was immediately arrested and brought to Gangnam Police Station, where he was charged with
homicide Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a Volition (psychology), volitional act, or an omission, that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from Accident, accidenta ...
and
arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...
. Jeong Sang-jin, originally from
Hapcheon Hapcheon County (''Hapcheon-gun'') is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Located in northwestern South Gyeongsang Province, the county is surrounded by Changnyeong as well as Euiryeong to the Southeast, Geochang as well as Sancheo ...
,
South Gyeongsang Province South Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple tha ...
, moved to Seoul in 2002, where he scratched a living with part-time jobs as food delivery man or
parking valet Valet parking is a parking service offered by some restaurants, stores, and other businesses. In contrast to "self-parking", where customers find a parking space on their own, customers' vehicles are parked for them by a person called a ''valet' ...
, though as of April 2008 he was unemployed and had to face severe financial difficulties. According to unconfirmed reports, he was convicted eight times, once for skipping an obligatory training for military reservists, for which he was fined of 1.5 million won. During interrogations, he said he was persecuted since his childhood days and attempted suicide twice during his time at middle school. He claimed that he occasionally suffered from severe headaches since those attempts. Jeong was in severe financial distress and couldn't pay his rent and mobile phone fees for months prior to the rampage. After his arrest, he stated that he didn't want to live anymore, as everyone looked down on him. It was said that he might have wanted to express his anger towards the rich and high authorities, but as they were difficult targets, he lashed out against those who were at hand. Further blame was also laid on the film ''
A Bittersweet Life ''A Bittersweet Life'' () is a 2005 South Korean action film written and directed by Kim Jee-woon. It stars Lee Byung-hun as Sun-woo, a hitman who becomes targeted by his boss after he spares the latter's cheating mistress. The film was released ...
'' by
Kim Jee-woon Kim Jee-woon (; born July 6, 1964) is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a theater actor and director before debuting with his self-written and directed film, '' The Quiet Family'' in 1998. Kim has worked with incr ...
, which Jeong was said to like.


Dendermonde, Belgium


See also

* List of mass stabbing incidents (2020-present) *
List of mass stabbing incidents (2010–2019) This is a list of mass stabbings that took place in the 2010s. It includes incidents in which there were at least three casualties (killed or injured). 2010 Nanping, China (March 2010) Xichang, China (April 2010) Leizhou, China (April ...


References

{{Mass stabbings before 2010 Mass stabbing incidents (1931-2009) *List of mass stabbing incidents (1931-2009)