A car crashed into a crowd outside the Zhuhai Sports Centre on Monday evening, injuring at least 20 people, local police have confirmed. The driver, a 62-year-old man identified as Fan, was arrested following the incident.
Reports indicate that many of the victims were exercising at the stadium when the car veered off course and struck several individuals. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the vehicle, which was traveling at high speed, hit people across multiple areas of the running track, where several groups of walkers, including elderly individuals, teenagers, and children, had gathered.
Videos from the scene, though mostly removed from Chinese social media platforms, show paramedics tending to the injured, with some victims appearing unconscious. The injured were immediately taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The incident occurred despite heightened security in Zhuhai, which is hosting the Airshow China, a major civil and military exhibition showcasing China's latest warplanes and drones. The airshow, which began on Tuesday, is taking place just 40 kilometers away from the stadium. Authorities have closed several entrances to the sports centre as part of security measures for the event.
It remains unclear whether the crash is connected to the airshow or if it was an isolated act. This incident adds to a series of violent attacks in the country, including recent stabbing sprees that have heightened public concern about safety in public spaces.