27-6-2023 (BEIJING) In a tragic incident, an 8-year-old boy in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, is believed to have been fatally beaten by his martial arts coach during a training session. The parents of the deceased child have made further accusations, claiming that when the boy was on the brink of death, the coach did not immediately take him to the hospital. Instead, the coach allegedly manipulated the boy’s body into certain positions, took photos and videos to create evidence of him being alive, in an attempt to conceal the crime. On Monday (June 26), the Chengyang District Public Security Bureau in Qingdao announced that an intentional injury case had occurred at a martial arts gym in the district, resulting in one fatality. The police have apprehended three suspects, including the person in charge of the martial arts gym, and have taken legal measures, while the case is under further investigation.
According to sources quoted by domestic media, the victim, identified as Li (李某某), went to the Qingdao Juying Martial Arts Club with his father on Sunday of last week (June 18) for martial arts training. The training session that day involved sanda, a form of Chinese kickboxing. During the training, the coach allegedly repeatedly struck Li’s head, chest, and abdomen with punches, kicks, and a stick. Li eventually collapsed and did not get up again. The source claimed that instead of immediately reporting the incident to the authorities, the coach lifted Li’s body and posed him in various positions, taking photos and videos. In one of the videos, the coach purportedly stated that the boy had a “heart attack,” emphasizing that he had not beaten him.
It was not until around 1 p.m. that afternoon when the martial arts gym finally called Li’s father to inform him of his son’s death. When Li’s father arrived at the hospital, it was too late to revive his son, who bore multiple injuries. Subsequently, Li’s father reported the incident to the police, leading to the investigation and subsequent detention of the coach and others involved.
After the incident, Li’s father took to the internet to reveal that his son’s fatal injury was caused by the rupture of a major artery, leading to his death approximately half an hour later. He claimed that the coach involved was not a certified martial arts instructor and that the martial arts gym operated without a license. Furthermore, the gym had reportedly received multiple complaints in the past. Li’s father expressed deep regret for not thoroughly researching the martial arts gym before enrolling his son in its programs.
