A man was executed today after being convicted of killing a woman by throwing bricks from a high-rise in northeast China, driven by extreme pessimism and suicidal thoughts, seeking revenge on random people.
The Supreme People's Court today approved the death sentence of the man surnamed Zhou who was found guilty of endangering public safety through dangerous methods — throwing bricks from a height that resulted in the death of a woman, China Central Television reported.
The 28-year-old woman surnamed Lou was struck by one of the eight bricks thrown by Zhou from the 32nd floor while walking through a night market in Changchun, Jilin Province, on June 22, 2023, Red Star News reported today.
Zhou had previously thrown two buckets of water, three cans of unopened soda and several bricks on June 17, injuring two others before fatally hitting Lou.
After the incident, Zhou surrendered to the police.
A psychiatric evaluation found Zhou had no mental illness at the time of the incident and was fully capable of bearing criminal responsibility.
Zhou, 24, expressed feelings of despair and social resentment, claiming he could not bear to jump himself but wished to harm others. Despite his confession, he showed no remorse during the investigation or trial, prosecutors said.
On December 13, 2023, the Changchun Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhou to death and ordered him to pay over 40,000 yuan (US$5,622) in compensation to the victim's family.
