Death toll rises to five in school truck killing

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-06 14:08

ZHUHAI - The death toll rose to five as of Thursday after a man drove a truck into a crowd in a school in southern China Wednesday.

An injured student receives medical treatment at Zunyi Hospital in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, November 5, 2008. [Xinhua]

The latest victim died early in the morning in hospital during emergency treatment for critical injuries.

Four of the killed were teenage students and one was an adult.

The accident took place Wednesday afternoon when a male drove a truck at high speed into a crowd of students who were leaving school as classes ended. About 20 others sustained injuries.

Two seriously injured students were in stable condition, according to doctors.

The driver was shot dead by police on the spot.

Chendong High School, the site of the incident in Baijiao Township in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, canceled all classes Thursday.

"The school authority asked us to return home today," Peng Cuiping, a 13-year-old girl studying at the school.

Parents also got text messages about schooling suspension, said Zhang Jing, 14.

The school gate remained closed and school officials were not available.

"I was so scared. I slept with my classmate in the dorm last night," said Peng.

Zhang, who witnessed the tragedy, said she was too frightened to fall asleep and her mother accompanied her last night.

Local residents said the driver, who was from central Hubei Province, had a dispute over traffic violations with local police and had vowed to revenge.

Police are investigating the identity and the motive of the killer.