The front page of today’s Chongqing Shangbao is dedicated to yesterday’s shooting of the serial killer Zhou Kehua. The headline says the “violent criminal Zhou Kehua was killed”, and includes the subheading: “He who shot the guard on March 19 was gunned down himself.” The photo shows policemen collecting evidence near the body of the killer, who is lying dead next to a pool of his own blood.
Zhou Kehua was one of China’s most wanted criminals. He has been committing major crimes while successfully avoiding detention for eight years. Most of his crimes involved armed and violent robbery. According to Huang Wei, the Vice Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau, since 2004, Zhou Kehua has been involved in ten cases of armed crime, resulting in the deaths of ten people and injuries to another six people. The Chongqing Shangbao seems particularly concerned with one case, which took place on March 19, 2009, when Zhou Kehua shot and killed a police officer who was pursuing him after an armed robbery in which he killed one person and injured two.
The newspaper featured a seven-page spread on Zhou Kehua’s crimes, how he was finally tracked down, and the gun battle in which he was killed. It emphasized all the high-level CPC Party members who played a role in the outcome, by giving important instructions. Zhou Kehua was caught early yesterday morning, after Chongqing police received a call notifying them that he may be in the vicinity. They spotted the man at around 6:45 a.m., and began following him until Zhou Kehua suddenly turned around and pulled out a gun. The police then open fired, and killed him with four shots. DNA testing has confirmed that this man was indeed Zhou Kehua.
The news of Zhou Kehua’s death made headlines across China. Here are some other examples:
Links and Sources
Chongqing Shangbao: 悍匪周克华被击毙 , 小巷激烈枪战 他俩默契配合击毙周克华
Wall Street Journal: Manhunt ends as Chinese police gun down serial killer
See also:
Danwei: Serial killers in China, Cannibal serial killer arrested in Yunnan
The China Daily: Former soldier linked to earlier robberies, murders
The Daily Telegraph: China launches manhunt for policeman-turned serial killer