1980 Handan murders

On the evening of 17 November 1980, Wang Xiwen, a 32-year-old police officer with the Handan municipal public security sub-bureau, entered the North Sucao police station in Congtai district, Handan, Hebei, China. He broke into the office of deputy director Song Tiefa and director Li Qingsheng, stealing a pistol, ammunition, cash, and grain ration stamps. Inside the office, he fired eleven gunshots, destroying a bust of Mao Zedong, a television set, and portraits of several Communist leaders. Upon leaving the station, he fired at passersby, injuring two people, and made an unsuccessful attempt to break into the home of a Criminal Investigation Squad captain to obtain another firearm.

Wang then fled into the courtyard of the Hexi production brigade headquarters, where he broke into an armory and stole a light machine gun, several rifles, dozens of hand grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Over the following six hours, he moved through the streets of Handan, firing weapons and throwing grenades indiscriminately, at times entering private homes to attack residents, and periodically returning to the armory to restock ammunition. He was arrested in the early morning hours with the assistance of civilian helpers. In total, 460 rounds were fired and 26 grenades were detonated during the rampage.

Seven people were killed — six at the scene and one who died later at a hospital — and twelve others were injured, five of them seriously. The victims included a production brigade captain, a temporary cooperative worker, a miner, a brigade member, and factory and power plant workers. Two pigs were also killed in the attack.

According to the Wikipedia account, Wang had reportedly grown resentful after losing a leadership position, which was attributed to his and his wife's noncompliance with China's one-child policy. He was also described as a follower of Lin Biao and the Gang of Four who had criticized Chinese Communist Party leadership following the 1978 Third Plenary Session; the trial of the Gang of Four was set to begin days after the attack.

Following investigation by the Handan City Public Security Bureau, the case moved through the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People's Court beginning in January 1981, was briefly returned for additional investigation, and resumed in March. On 9 April 1981, Wang was convicted of counter-revolutionary murder, and on 13 April he was sentenced to death. He appealed, claiming insanity, and was examined at a psychiatric hospital in Baoding, where he was found legally sane. His conviction was upheld through the Hebei Provincial Higher People's Court and the Supreme People's Court. On the morning of 10 June 1981, his conviction was affirmed in a public trial at Handan Municipal Stadium, and he was immediately executed by firing squad before a crowd of approximately 50,000 people. <parameter name="timeline">[{"date": "1980-11-17", "event": "Wang Xiwen carries out a mass shooting and grenade attack in Handan, Hebei, killing seven people and injuring twelve others before being arrested."}, {"date": "1981-01-13", "event": "Case transferred to the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People's Court."}, {"date": "1981-01-21", "event": "Prosecution begins."}, {"date": "1981-02-20", "event": "Case returned to the Handan Procuratorate due to insufficient evidence."}, {"date": "1981-03-26", "event": "Case again transferred to the Handan Prefectural Intermediate People's Court."}, {"date": "1981-04-09", "event": "Wang Xiwen convicted of counter-revolutionary murder."}, {"date": "1981-04-13", "event": "Wang Xiwen sentenced to death."}, {"date": "1981-04-21", "event": "Case transferred to the Hebei Provincial Higher People's Court after Wang's appeal claiming insanity; he is sent for psychiatric examination in Baoding."}, {"date": "1981-05-09", "event": "Judicial committee decides to maintain Wang's conviction."}, {"date": "1981-05-13", "event": "Case transferred to the Supreme People's Court for review."}, {"date": "1981-05-26", "event": "Supreme People's Court approves the verdict."}, {"date": "1981-06-10", "event": "Conviction upheld in a public trial at Handan Municipal Stadium; Wang Xiwen is executed by firing squad before a crowd of about 50,000 people."}]