Nearly 1m to patrol capital during festival

Beijing has launched a high-priority prevention and control management campaign to ensure public security by sending some 900,000 security staff to patrol the capital after a deadly attack over the weekend.

Some 200,000 security staff were assigned to patrols on Sunday night after a criminal suspect hurt 13 people in a shopping mall.

According to the municipal police, the suspect, surnamed Zhu, 35, who was believed to be armed with a knife, is from Xihua county, Henan province. At least 13 people - three males and 10 females - were injured in the attack that took place at around 1 pm on the sixth floor of Xidan Joy City in Xicheng district on Sunday.

So far, one female victim has died. Five have been released from hospital and the rest are still receiving medical treatment with non-life-threatening injuries.

The municipal government raised the security level shortly after the accident happened. Starting from 9 pm on Sunday night, 200,000 security personnel composed of Party members at district levels, security forces in communities and security guards went on patrol.

The key areas include public transportation venues, businesses open at night and other crowded areas.

And starting Monday, a security force of 700,000 people, who are mainly capital volunteers, went on patrol during daytime hours. Their focus is not only subways and bus stations, but also shopping malls and markets where crowds gather.

The municipal government asked each district to arrange security forces accordingly to ensure they can handle situations if emergencies occur.

The volunteers will report suspicious behavior and individuals to the police and cooperate with the department to ensure a safe environment for the public over the holiday season.

Zhu, the suspect, who was caught by police on scene, confessed his crime. He doesn't have any disputes with any of the victims.

According to the police, Zhu left home after finishing high school. While working temporarily in Henan, Jiangsu and Hebei provinces, he became addicted to video games.

He found a job in Langfang, a city about 50 km southeast of Beijing, in Hebei province, in Feb 2016. By the end of 2017, he quit his job and hasn't been working since.

The case is still under investigation.