Suzhou honors heroine and citizens for bravery in knife attack incident

Hu Youping

A memorial service for Hu Youping, a woman who lost her life while stopping a knife attack in east China's Suzhou, was held on Tuesday, China Central Television reported.

Hu was posthumously awarded the title of "Suzhou City Model of Bravery." Additionally, three citizens who helped subdue the attacker were recognized as "Courageous Individuals."

To honor and promote the spirit of bravery, Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province will establish the "Youping Bravery Fund."

The knife attack occurred on June 24 around 4pm at a bus stop on Tayuan Road in Suzhou’s High-Tech Zone, resulting in injuries to three people: one Chinese national, Hu, and two Japanese nationals. The suspect was quickly subdued by bystanders and police.

Hu suffered severe injuries while preventing the suspect from harming others. Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries on June 26. Of the two injured Japanese nationals, one remains in hospital in stable condition, while the other was discharged the same day.

According to one of the Japanese victims, Hu intervened during the attack, allowing her son to escape unharmed. Witnesses reported that Hu first grabbed the attacker, and then attempted to restrain him from behind. The attacker stabbed her, causing her to fall, till a passing driver and police officers subdued the assailant.

A witness stated, "If the suspect had not been stopped, more people would have been injured."