Organizers of the Beijing Olympic Games expressed condolence and sympathy over Saturday's knife attack which led to the death of an American man and injuries to two women -- including an American and a Chinese.
"We are saddened by the incident that happened to the American tourists... We are willing to do anything that is possible to help," said Wang Wei, a spokesman for the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games, at a joint press conference with the International Olympic Committee on Sunday morning.
Wang started the press conference, held at the Main Press Center of the Beijing Games, with condolence to the victims and their families.
"The BOCOG is deeply saddened to learn the tragic attack to relatives to a coach from the U.S. men's volleyball team and a Chinese tour guide. I extend our sincere condolence and sympathy to the victims and their families," Wang said.
Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minneapolis, parents-in-law of U.S. coach Hugh McCutcheon, were attacked by a man while touring the 13th-century Drum Tower of Beijing on Saturday. Todd Bachman died from knife wounds while his wife suffered multiple stab wounds and was in critical but stable condition after an eight-hour surgery. Their Chinese guide was also injured.
U.S. Men's Volleyball team leader Rob Browning said Sunday McCutcheon was attending to his wife and mother-in-law. "He does not know when or if he will be able to return to the team. The team has rallied behind him to support whatever decision he decides to make."
Browning said the incident was "on the forefront" of the team's minds but "they are ready to play".
"We made a point of making sure things were as normal as possible. After Hugh spoke to the team last night, the boys were ready to get their rest and get ready for their match today," Browning said of the team's game against Venezuela on Sunday.
The attacker, identified as 47-year-old Tang Yongming from the eastern city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, then jumped to death from the second story of the historic Drum Tower, a wooden structure about 47 meters high in the north part of Dongcheng District in central Beijing.
The motive of the attack remained unknown.
During a meeting with U.S. President George Bush on Sunday, Chinese President Hu Jintao also expressed sympathy over the tragic incident.
"I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to you and the family of the victims over this unfortunate incident," Hu said.
BOCOG spokesman Wang Wei said a Chinese vice foreign minister and minister of health had visited the injured in hospital, and the BOCOG had also sent an official letter to the U.S. Olympic Committee to express sympathy and condolence and to offer every possible help.
Beijing is safe, though not immune to violent acts, Wang said. "Saturday's attack was an isolated criminal act unrelated to the Games and was not targeted at the Americans," he said.
But the knife attack has sounded an alarm and Beijing is to tighten security, particularly at tourist destinations to make sure no sharp weapons are allowed in these places, he said.
Chinese are not allowed to own guns.
In the run-up to the Games, Beijing has tightened security checks on subway trains and buses. A 110,000-strong security team are at work during the Olympics, including policemen and volunteers who work around the clock to patrol nearly every corner of the city.
(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2008)