Four American exchange teachers from Iowa—including the sibling of an Iowa State House Representative—were wounded in a stabbing incident in northeastern China recently, according to their college.
Cornell College, a small liberal arts institution in Mount Vernon, confirmed that the two instructors were injured during “a serious accident” on June 10th, a Chinese national holiday, in Jilin, China.
Jilin is located about 580 miles north of Beijing in Jilin Province. The college president, Jonathan Brand, mentioned that no college students were involved in the incident.
One of the victims, David, is doing well, as confirmed by his brother, Adam Zabner, an Iowa State House Representative. The family expressed gratitude for David’s survival.
The instructors were part of a program at Jilin’s Beihua University since 2018. The stabbing happened in Beishan Park, around four miles from the university campus.
Reports indicate that on Weibo, China’s biggest social networking site, posts about the incident were removed. State-controlled Chinese media did not cover the story either.
Chinese authorities have not issued an official statement, nor disclosed the motive behind the attack. It is unclear if the suspected assailant, described as a male by witnesses, has been apprehended.
The U.S. State Department did not immediately comment on the incident. Attempts to reach the Chinese Foreign Ministry for a statement were unsuccessful.
Local lawmakers from Iowa, like Rep. Ashley Hinson, are coordinating with Cornell College to ensure the safe return of the injured instructors to the U.S., urging prayers for their well-being.
Rep. Mariannette Miller Meeks is in contact with the victims’ families and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to facilitate their medical care and return home.
The attack occurred amid efforts to reestablish academic exchanges between the U.S. and China, disrupted by the pandemic. President Xi Jinping aims to host 50,000 American youths in China over the next five years.
During a visit to Beijing in April, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized strengthening ties between the two countries. The importance of responsible and reciprocal policies for expanded student, scholar, and business exchanges was highlighted.
Update 6/11/24 3:10 A.M. Additional details have been added to the story.