China school attack suspect arrested

A suspect in a knife attack on students at an elementary school on Friday in central China's Henan Province have been arrested.

The Guangshan County People's Procuratorate confirmed on Monday that it has ratified the arrest of Min Yongjun, suspected of jeopardizing public security in an incident in which more than 20 children and an elderly villager were injured.

According to police, Min Yongjun (previously reported as Min Yingjun) is thought to have burst into an elderly woman's house near the elementary school of Chenpeng village in Guangshan county, at around 7 a.m. Friday, hitting her and stabbing her with a kitchen knife he picked up in the house. Min then rushed to the school, and allegedly knifed 23 students, before being subdued by teachers and police.

Previous reports had said 22 students were injured. However, police found that another youngster had escaped and run home after being stabbed.

Initial police investigation found Min, a long-term epilepsy sufferer, had been strongly psychologically affected by rumors of the upcoming end of the world predicted by ancient prophecy.

His motives for the attack are still under further investigation.

Rao Mingsheng, health director for Guangshan, said on Monday that none of the people injured in the attack was currently in a critical condition. Some remained locally hospitalized, while others have been transferred to bigger hospitals in Xinyang city of Henan province, and Wuhan, capital of central Hubei Province.

Most of the students sustained head injuries or cuts to their fingers or ears, and required immediate surgery.

Authorities in Xinyang city, which administrates Guangshan, have ordered reinforced patrols near schools in the city to defend against attacks targeting teachers and students.