US Tourist Killed in Beijing by Chinese Suicide - EYE WITNESS REPORT: UPDATE

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US Tourist Killed in Beijing by Chinese Suicide - EYE WITNESS REPORT: UPDATE

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Eyewitnesses describe what happen, as the tragedy sinks in.

[q url=http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2008/08/09/ap/sports/d92f3rt80.txt]

According to Dale Bachman, Todd Bachman was walking a few steps behind his wife and daughter at a Beijing tourist site when he was attacked by a knife-wielding stranger. Barbara Bachman heard the commotion and turned to help her husband.

"That's when she was attacked," Dale Bachman said. "To me, that was a strong indication of her love. She is a fabulous person."

The midday attack sent shock waves through the games precinct after the Olympics' spectacular opening ceremony had set an ebullient tone. President Bush, in the Chinese capital for the games, expressed sadness while American athletes and Olympics officials reacted with disbelief.

There was no indication that the assailant knew that his victims had any connection to the games. "For all intents, it appears to be a random attack by a deranged man," an American member of the International Olympic Committee, Jim Easton, told The Associated Press. "The only thing we've heard is they were not identifiable except for a small volleyball pin which would probably be invisible to a guy."

Easton said the attack has stunned the Olympic community.

"It's certainly a down day, certainly for the U.S. people," he said. "Here it is supposed to be a great time of happiness and peace and all that. That's what we work hard for, then for one person to be able to put a dark cloud on that."

The U.S. women's indoor volleyball team heard about the killing of their former teammate's father before they took on Japan in a match Saturday. After their victory, player Logan Tom was obviously shaken.

"God, we all love Wiz," she said. "It's hard to put it in words. That's not something that's supposed to happen."

Tom then turned away, crying.

"It's just tragic," said U.S. woman's basketball coach Anne Donovan. "I don't know if there's another word for it. We said a prayer for them in the locker room. I get goosebumps talking about it. It's something obviously that just changes the events right now for the Olympic Games."

Violent crime against foreigners is rare in tightly controlled China, and the assault at the Drum Tower occurred despite major security measures that have blanketed the capital city during the Olympics: A 100,000-strong security force plus countless volunteer guards have been deployed to protect against any trouble.

Beijing's Communist leaders are hypersensitive about anything that could take the shine off the games. China's Foreign Ministry said it had no immediate comment on the attack.

Interpol said initial investigations found nothing indicating the murder was linked to terrorism or organized crime.[/q]

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The US victim of the apparent random stabbing in Beiijing has today been named as the father-in-law of  US Volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon, Todd Bachman, whose wife is seriously injured with life-threatening injuries.  So far, no motive is known for the vicious attack.

[q url=http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jrXTJZgmPXUrX3I8LnUBG2q9gtcg]

Two Americans closely linked to the US Olympic volleyball team were stabbed, one fatally, in a bizarre attack at an ancient landmark in the Chinese capital on the first day of the Beijing Games.

The knife-wielding assailant, a Chinese man, then threw himself to his death immediately after the attack on a high balcony of the 13th century Drum Tower, just five miles from the main Olympics site, officials said.

Todd Bachman, the father of former Olympic volleyballer Elisabeth "Wiz" Bachman and the father-in-law of men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon, was killed in the attack, the US Olympic Committee said in a statement.

His wife, Barbara, sustained "serious and life-threatening" injuries and was rushed to a hospital, where she underwent surgery. A female Chinese tour guide with them was also injured and rushed to a hospital. Elisabeth Bachman was with her parents when the attack occurred, but was not injured.

"It is impossible to describe the depth of our sadness and shock in this tragic hour," said US Olympic Committee Chairman Peter Ueberroth in the statement. "Our delegation comes to the games as a family, and when one member of our family suffers a loss, we all grieve with them." [/q]

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A US tourist has been killed in Beijing by an assailant, possibly a mugger, given that tourists are often perceived as "wealthy" when travelling abroad.  The man then committed suicide by hurling himself from the monument.

Further details have yet to emerge.