Murder in Beijing: Men's Olympic Volleyball Coach's Father-in-Law Stabbed to Death

Wife, Guide Very Serious, No Known Reason for Attack

We are faced with another murder. I'm reasonably sure you are not happy to hear that, we never want someone to die that way. If there is such a thing as one murder being more shocking than most, this one is; the murder occurred in Beijing after the opening ceremonies and the victim was an American. In fact, it was a relative of an American sports coach.

Mark Ziegler, staff writer for SignOnSanDiego.com is reporting in his article "Stabbing death of U.S. coach's relative mars Olympic glow" that men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon's father-in-law was stabbed and killed at a popular Beijing tourist attraction.

Todd Bachman of Lakeville, Minnesota died of his wounds. Bachman was at the Drum Tower with his wife, Barbara and daughter Elisabeth. Further, they were accompanied by a Chinese guide. While Elisabeth was uninjured, both the guide and Barbara Bachman are hospitalized with what the article terms "serious and life-threatening" injuries.

After the stabbings the killer jumped off the tower to his death 130 feet below.

While no reason for the attack has been established, the murderer has been identified as 47-year-old Tang Yongming. There has been a determination to find out the reason, if there is one, that this tragedy occurred.

As Ziegler goes on to report, Beijing is considered one of the safest cities in the world the last known murder occurring in 2006 among a population of 17.4 million.

President Bush who had decided to attend the games was quoted in the article as saying he and his wife were "saddened by the attack on an American family" and, "the United States government has offered to provide any assistance the family needs."

Anyone who saw the drum ceremonies at the opening of the games had to be impressed with the effort by the Chinese to make people feel welcome.