Teacher stabs seven in China, three children and a teacher die
( 2003-01-28 14:24 ) (7 )

An English teacher killed three children and injured another three in a rampage with a knife at a school in southern China, officials said Tuesday.

A teacher also died. A hospital official said one of the injured children was in a coma.

Chen Peiquan knocked on doors at a teachers' dormitary at the Yang Gan Middle School in Suixi county, Guangdong province and randomly stabbed whoever answered, a local police official told AFP.

He fled onto the roof of the school when police arrived and was taken into custody after a struggle Sunday.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the attacks but local police and school leaders said Chen had a history of mental illness.

The school head, named Zhou, said the 35-year-old had lived in hospitals for months at a time over the past six years but defended the school employing him.

"Since Chen became ill the school has always paid what the school should pay for him," he said.

"They have never cut his medical fees. Chen was sent to the hospital sometimes for two or three months, sometimes for more.

"The last time he returned with a certificate which said he was ok.

"That's why we let him teach."

He said no one had noticed anything untoward in the days before his bloody rampage.

A local newspaper said the school paid nothing for Chen's treatment and he could no longer afford the medication he needed.