American killed at Olympic Games
"BEIJING, China (CNN) -- A Chinese attacker stabbed to death the father-in-law of a U.S. Olympic coach and seriously wounded the American's wife and a Chinese tour guide before killing himself, the International Olympic Committee said Saturday.
Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minnesota, were attacked at the Drum Tower, an ancient monument in downtown Beijing, the IOC and Chinese authorities said.
Barbara Bachman's injuries are "serious and life-threatening," an IOC statement said. The tour guide's condition was not immediately clear.
Todd Bachman was the father-in-law of U.S. Olympic men's indoor volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon. McCutcheon's wife, 2004 U.S. Olympic women's indoor volleyball player Elisabeth Bachman McCutcheon, was with her parents when they were attacked, but she was not hurt, the IOC said.
The Bachmans were not wearing apparel that identified them as relatives of members of the U.S. delegation at the time of the attack, the IOC said.
The attack happened around noon at the Drum Tower, a popular tourist site, China's official news agency Xinhua reported.
The assailant, a 47-year-old man from Hangzhou in eastern China, jumped to his death from the tower after the attack, authorities said.
"It is impossible to describe the depth of our sadness and shock in this tragic hour," said U.S. Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth. "Our delegation comes to the Games as a family, and when one member of our family suffers a loss, we all grieve with them. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with the Bachman and McCutcheon families."
President Bush, who is in Beijing for the Games, said he and his wife, Laura, were saddened by the attack.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. And the United States government has offered to provide any assistance the family needs," Bush said.
The ancient Drum Tower in Beijing, and the nearby Bell Tower, are popular tourist sites. Both sites told the time in the capital city, with the bell rung in the morning and drum beaten in the evening, throughout the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties."
SOURCE
The disaster has begun. I expect it to get much worse before it's over.
In other news, I've returned from my cross country vacation by train and it was amazing! I'm moving to Louisville on Friday, but will try to post as often as possible!
Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minnesota, were attacked at the Drum Tower, an ancient monument in downtown Beijing, the IOC and Chinese authorities said.
Barbara Bachman's injuries are "serious and life-threatening," an IOC statement said. The tour guide's condition was not immediately clear.
Todd Bachman was the father-in-law of U.S. Olympic men's indoor volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon. McCutcheon's wife, 2004 U.S. Olympic women's indoor volleyball player Elisabeth Bachman McCutcheon, was with her parents when they were attacked, but she was not hurt, the IOC said.
The Bachmans were not wearing apparel that identified them as relatives of members of the U.S. delegation at the time of the attack, the IOC said.
The attack happened around noon at the Drum Tower, a popular tourist site, China's official news agency Xinhua reported.
The assailant, a 47-year-old man from Hangzhou in eastern China, jumped to his death from the tower after the attack, authorities said.
"It is impossible to describe the depth of our sadness and shock in this tragic hour," said U.S. Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth. "Our delegation comes to the Games as a family, and when one member of our family suffers a loss, we all grieve with them. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with the Bachman and McCutcheon families."
President Bush, who is in Beijing for the Games, said he and his wife, Laura, were saddened by the attack.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. And the United States government has offered to provide any assistance the family needs," Bush said.
The ancient Drum Tower in Beijing, and the nearby Bell Tower, are popular tourist sites. Both sites told the time in the capital city, with the bell rung in the morning and drum beaten in the evening, throughout the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties."
SOURCE
The disaster has begun. I expect it to get much worse before it's over.
In other news, I've returned from my cross country vacation by train and it was amazing! I'm moving to Louisville on Friday, but will try to post as often as possible!