Man executed for killing nine students

XI'AN - A man convicted of killing nine middle school students in a knife attack was executed Thursday in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, a local court said.

Zhao Zewei's death sentence had been reviewed and approved by the Supreme People's Court (SPC), the country's top court, according to the Yulin Intermediate People's Court.

The SPC said Zhao should be punished according to the law as his motive was abhorrent and highly vicious, and his brutal crime caused severe consequences and social influence.

The evidence of the intentional homicide was factual and sufficient, and the sentencing was appropriate, the SPC ruled.

On July 10, the intermediate court in Yulin sentenced Zhao to death after finding him guilty of attacking students near the No. 3 Middle School in Mizhi County on April 27, leading to nine deaths and 12 injured. The 28-year-old did not file an appeal against the sentence.

According to the verdict, Zhao, a former student of the middle school, bought five knives online and planned the attack because he wanted to get revenge on his former classmates who had teased him. Failing to find his classmates, Zhao randomly stabbed students who were leaving the school.