RUZHOU, HENAN, China, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A man broke into a high school dormitory in central China late Thursday and killed eight students with a knife as they were sleeping.
The attacker entered the dormitory just before midnight and stabbed twelve students, killing eight and injuring the other four, Xinhua reported Friday. The incident occurred at the No. 2 High School in Ruzhou, Henan province.
Police were alerted at 2:00 a.m. and rushed to the scene, but the killer had escaped. Xinhua said police had a description of the man and were searching for him. The motive for the attack was unknown.
Classes were held as usual at the school on Friday.
There have been several knife attacks on children in schools and daycare centers in China in recent months.
A man who slashed 25 children with a kitchen knife at an elementary school in eastern China was executed Wednesday. None of the children died, but the court judged the attack exceptionally cruel and handed down a death penalty.
The central government has ordered schools to hire security guards and install surveillance systems to help prevent such incidents.
