China: Man Stabs Colleague, Then Kills 9 With Bus

(AP) BEIJING - A disgruntled employee killed nine people and injured 11 by plowing a bus into pedestrians and cyclists while fleeing after stabbing a co-worker in northern China, a local government spokesman said Monday.

The man, surnamed Zhang, tried to get away by stealing the bus after an argument in which he stabbed his co-worker with a knife at the Tianbao Transportation Co., said a spokesman for the Tianjing city government. Like many Chinese officials he gave only his surname, Liu.

Zhang, 40, worked as a receptionist at the company in the port city, Liu said. The spokesman and the official Xinhua News Agency did not say why Zhang attacked the co-worker, or how badly the co-worker was hurt.

In trying to escape, Zhang crashed the bus into pedestrians, cars and cyclists, killing nine people and severely injuring 11, including four policemen who attempted to stop his vehicle, Liu said.

Zhang was caught shortly afterward, Xinhua said.

It was not clear whether the pedestrians were colleagues of Zhang's or what led to the initial altercation.