Chinese New Year attack at nursing home kills three: Xinhua

BEIJING (AFP) - A nursing home worker in central China went on a rampage early Thursday, state media reported, killing three people and leaving another 15 injured at the care facility.

The attack took place in the early hours of the first day of the Chinese New Year in Yongfeng township in Hunan province, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing local authorities.

The incident occurred after what Xinhua described as a "brawl" between the alleged attacker, identified as 64-year-old Luo Renchu, and Fang Hongchun, the 48-year-old nursing home owner.

Luo "randomly attacked elderly people and staff at the nursing home" following the altercation with Fang, the report said.

According to the report, Luo is on the run and being pursued by police.

It did not say what kind of weapon, if any, was used by the assailant and did not provide details on the injuries suffered by the survivors.

China has been hit by a wave of attacks at schools in recent years.

They include five incidents in 2010 that killed 17 people - 15 of them children - and wounded more than 80.

In March last year, a man killed two relatives and then slashed 11 people, including six children, outside a school in China's commercial hub Shanghai.

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