Authorities: American tourists attacked, one killed in Beijing

BEIJING – An American tourist was killed and another injured when a Chinese man attacked them at an historic monument in Beijing on Saturday, the first full day of Olympic competition, authorities said.

The man attacked the two Americans as well as their Chinese guide at the historic Drum Tower monument, a popular tourist site, at 12:20 pm (0420 GMT), the official Xinhua news agency reported.

One tourist was killed in the attack and the other two people were injured, said Xinhua. The assailant then committed suicide by jumping off the second story of the monument, according to the agency.

The report gave no details as to the nature of the attack, or the motive.

A Beijing police spokesman confirmed to AFP an American tourist had been killed and the other two had been injured, but gave no further details.

Xinhua identified the attacker as Tang Yongming, a 47-year-old man from the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

The attack occurred despite China deploying massive security in Beijing for the Olympics, with more than 150,000 police and other personnel on patrol across the city.

An estimated 450,000 foreigners are expected to come to Beijing for the Olympics, which opened on Friday night and will finish on August 24.

The killing also occurred as US President George W. Bush was in the city to attend the Games. Bush was due to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday.

A US embassy spokesman, Richard Buangan, said he was aware of the report but could give no details.

“I can tell you that we are working with the family and the Chinese authorities while we speak,” Buangan told AFP, declining to comment further.