17 injured in knife attack in China’s primary school

BEIJING - Sixteen primary school children and an art teacher were stabbed by a mentally ill person in south China’s Guangdong province, officials said.

The incident took place Wednesday when 33-year-old Chen Kangbing, a teacher from another school, barged into Leicheng First Primary School and started attacking students with knife.

The victims, who suffered injuries in their heads, backs and arms, were rushed to Leizhou People’s Hospital. Nine of them were discharged after treatment. All the injured are in a stable condition, said Chen Riwen, a spokesman for the provincial education department.

The 16 students are fourth or fifth graders, Xinhua quoted the spokesman as saying.

Initial investigations showed that the attacker was suffering from mental disorders and had been on sick leave since February 2006, Chen Riwen said.