Four Cornell College professors stabbed in China park attack: US officials | News

The group, while visiting a partner university in northeast China's Jilin province, was attacked while visiting a temple.

Four American professors at a small Iowa university were injured in a stabbing attack in a public park in northeast China's Jilin province, according to US media and government officials American.

Iowa Rep. Adam Zabner told the Reuters news agency on Monday that his brother was among the victims, all of whom are from Cornell College.

“My brother, David Zabner, was injured in the arm in a knife attack while visiting a temple in the city of Jilin, China,” he said.

The group was visiting a temple in Beishan Park when they were attacked by a man armed with a knife, he added. No motive has been reported.

A video of people lying on the ground in a park covered in blood was circulating on social media platform X on Monday, although there was no record of the footage on Chinese social media. Reuters was able to identify the location based on Chinese characters written on a wall, the structure of the wall and the route of the path. Reuters was unable to confirm when the video was filmed.

No statement on the incident has been released by Chinese authorities nor any reports found in Chinese media.

“I spoke to David a few minutes ago, he is recovering from his injuries and is doing well. My family is incredibly grateful that David survived this attack,” said Adam Zabner.

Tutors from Cornell College were visiting Beihua, a partner university in Jilin city.

Cornell College said it was teaching “through a partnership with a university in China.”

“We are working through the appropriate channels and requesting to speak with the U.S. Embassy on appropriate issues to ensure that victims first receive quality care for their injuries and then leave China in a medically feasible manner,” he said. said Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks. wrote on X.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds wrote on X that she was in contact with the US State Department about the “horrific” attack.

University spokeswoman Jen Visser told US broadcaster CNN that the US State Department was aware of reports of a stabbing incident in China and was monitoring the situation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged this year to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for study programs aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties, but a Level 3 travel advisory from the U.S. State Department addressed China's warning of possible arbitrary detentions and exit bans remains in force.

There are fewer than 900 American exchange students studying in China, compared to more than 290,000 Chinese students in the United States, according to U.S. data.