AN ARMED drug addict who held a woman hostage at gunpoint on a highway in southwest China's Sichuan Province was shot dead yesterday morning. One other person was injured.
The suspect Zhang Fuming, 47, was shot dead by a sniper at around 9am after a 12-hour standoff with police in Cangxi County. The hostage was freed and not injured, police said.
Authorities said Zhang's actions were fueled by drug addiction. Wu Changwei, deputy director of the Cangxi County Public Security Bureau, told China Central Television that Zhang was driving near Tiangongyuan Exit on Guangyuan-Nanchong Highway on Saturday night when he felt the craving for drugs.
He got out of the car, shot at vehicles and passersby, then continued driving. No one was injured during the first shooting, Wu said.
China National Radio said Zhang was struck again by a craving for drugs when he drove to a bridge in the Cangxi area, where he parked the Mercedes Benz he was driving in the passing lane.
Three people who drove past heard a woman calling for help from the car and went to see what happened. One was shot in the stomach, which was reported to police at 9:28pm.
The report said Zhang had a gun and threatened to kill the woman. He shot at officers when they tried to approach the car. Zhang asked for drugs and another car but he refused to leave his vehicle, Wu said.
Finally, police lobbed tear gas into the car, forcing Zhang out. Wu said they decided to shoot Zhang dead because the woman's cries were weakening.
