Olympics 2008: Relatives of U.S. Volleyball Team Coach Killed, Injured
August 9, 2008
Murder is a rarity in China. But 2008 is an Olympics year and murder has come to Beijing.
Two Americans who were relatives of a U.S. volleyball coach were attacked at a tourist site Saturday in the presence of their Chinese translator. The attack occurred at the Drum Tower one of the few remaining ancient structures in Beijing. The site was used as a timekeeping instrument for the city of Beijing in imperial China. Time was kept by the emperor’s drummers who pounded their instruments to signal the hour of the day or night. Drum Tower is located to the north of the Forbidden City - the former home of the emperor - and was built on an important central axis of Beijing.
The killer, Tang Yongming, 47, from the eastern city of Hangzhou (about 700 miles from Beijing) jumped from the second story of the tower after his attack, committing suicide after the act.
Darryl Seibel, a spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, spoke briefly about the reaction of the volleyball team and the incident:
“They are deeply saddened and shocked,” Darryl Seibel, a spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, said of the volleyball team.
Seibel said the two Americans who were attacked were not wearing anything that would have identified them as Americans or part of the U.S. team. He could not name the coach.
“They were not wearing apparel or anything that would have specifically identified them as being members of our delegation” or as Americans, he told The Associated Press.
He said it is “too early to say” whether the U.S. delegation or athletes will require additional security.
Richard Buangan, U.S. Embassy spokesman said he was aware of an incident involving two Americans and was working with Chinese authorities to find out more. He said U.S. officials were in contact with relatives of the two Americans who are in Beijing (Pictured at left: Chinese police examine the crime scene.):
“Out of respect for the families involved, we can’t say more than that,” Don Q. Washington, another embassy spokesman, told reporters.
These Olympics promise to be unique for may reasons. The fact that the site of the Games is Beijing and because of China’s relationship with Sudan, these Olympics are already politically and culturally contentious. World leaders who are at odds with each other were among the spectators at the opening ceremony. The Chinese’s stated goal of accruing 119 total medals, which would make the country among the leaders in the overall medal count, puts a target on the backs of every Chinese athlete in the Games.
Now, violence and death marks these Olympics despite the fact that 100,000 Chinese forces were brought to Beijing as added security for the Games. The attack surely strikes fear in the hearts and minds of every visitor to the country, and threatens to further mar the Games.
Bang the drum and let the Games begin.
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5 Responses to “Olympics 2008: Relatives of U.S. Volleyball Team Coach Killed, Injured”
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The early part of the ceremony was, IMO, VERY reminiscent of the Berlin games, and I think it was deliberate. It was, so to speak, a salvo. 1.3 billion of us, 300 million of you.
The entire “State in harmony with the individual i.e. conform or die” thing was chilling. I’m glad I’m not Chinese.
The show itself was simply spectacular, the best of it’s kind ever seen IMO.
Anyone but me notice that the cameraman invariably focused on the most beautiful female athletes of the delegations that marched. Not complaining mind you, just noticing.
The march of the delegates was and is always my favorite part.
Anyone who says Kobe isn’t the most famous athlete in the world is just lying. These stupid white boy Americans who hate him, dumb ass MF’s.
The propaganda machine that is NBC sports was simply pathetic. Anyone notice that Costas and whoever else it was in the booth took the US States department position on every single head of state or political position to be had. From China to Putin to Chavez, they were simply fucking talking heads spewing forth the official line. They made fun of various heads of states but didn’t say shit about the USOC distancing itself from Joey Cheek
Bob Muthafuckin’ Costas had the nerve to call Hugo Chavez “bombastic.” Wow, simply Wow
So far, I have managed to miss Bob Costas’ triflin’ as. You watch KevDog, so we won’t have to!! Just kiddin’.
Did see the reaction Kobe got. Wow. Kobe could cure cancer, aids and discover an abundant clean burning source of energy and the critics would say that he was too arrogant while he did it. I’m just resigned to it now.
Can you guys imagine if a foreign fan were murdered in the US at an Olympics? Especially if it were a city like DC or NYC?
You think it was bad when that guy in Boston told the cops a black guy had carjacked him and killed his pregnant wife when the cops squeezed a black neighborhood until they gave up a suspect, ANY suspect and beat a confession out of the guy? You’d see the scene from “The Siege” when the 82nd Airborne takes over NYC and declares martial law.
Speaking of such things Phil, here is an instance of someone doing the right thing.http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dismiss9-2008aug09,0,7778074.story
“Murder is a rarity in China.”
We’ve been getting the exact same reports up here in Canada. But the murder rate in China is almost identical to the murder rate here (so both are substantially less than the US). It took me 5 minutes of Googling to figure that one out. I’m wondering if the same thing is being reported in England who has a murder rate half of that here.
I’m now wondering who’s words the Canadian press is regurgitating. Either they’re looking over the shoulders of the AP guys, where it is at least fair to claim “Murder is a rarity” at least in a relative sense to the US. Or they’re just passing along the propaganda the Chinese government has been using the Olympics for - “You see the Chinese people are a very peaceful people, just ignore that whole Cultural Revolution thing where 500,000 people were murdered. You see that was for the greater good”