Care for the mentally ill

The killing of eight students in Nanping, East China's Fujian province, is more than a reminder to all of us that the school's security measures are deficient. The tragedy also points to the need of learning more about this alleged killer.

In all the reports, the suspected killer allegedly suffers from mental problems. He is said to be a doctor from a local community clinic who lost his job not long ago. For the police and other authorities, a thorough investigation is imperative to find out more about this person, not just to discover what his psychological state was at the time of the killings, but also to see if there is a better solution to the problems that people such as the suspect encounter when they are experiencing times of adversity.

This is not the first case of its kind in recent years. In this time of transition for China, it's not rare for people to be laid off and for college students to idle without being able to land a job. A sound social security net is badly needed to provide for them so that they can make a living as well as a way to address possible psychological problems that they may be suffering.