One moment, they were chatting. The next, they were fleeing from a man who was swinging a knife at them.
An influencer in China reportedly lost his hand after he and his friend were attacked by a man during a livestream on Tuesday (May 23) night, in Xiamen, Fujian.
In a recording of the livestream, the pair were seen talking to viewers outside a campus cafe when a knife-wielding man suddenly charged at them from behind.
The startled duo attempted to escape from the man as he continued on a slashing rampage. Passers-by screamed in horror as they realised what was unfolding before their eyes.
In another clip, the assailant was seen chasing after the duo as they ran across the compound.
One netizen, who claimed to be the suspect’s friend, said that one of the victims’ hand was sliced off when he raised it to shield himself from the attack.
A photo of a severed hand allegedly belonging to the victim surfaced in an online post which called for severe punishment to be dealt to the attacker.
Xiamen police released a statement on Wednesday, confirming that they dispatched officers and an ambulance to the scene after receiving reports of a fight.
Preliminary investigations found that the suspect, surnamed Luo, had an argument with the pair on Douyin prior to the attack.
He slashed the victims on the hands and backs with a knife before he fled the scene. The police arrested him hours later.
The victims were taken to hospital and received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. The case is currently under further investigation.
Chinese livestreamer dies after drinking too much alcohol
Earlier in May, a Chinese livestreamer was found dead in his apartment after downing alcohol as a forfeit for losing drinking battles against his peers.
The livestreamer surnamed Wang last appeared in a video the night before his death, where he was seen chugging four bottles of baijiu, a colourless Chinese liquor with an alcohol content that ranges from 35 to 60 per cent.
Wang’s viewers said he drank at least seven bottles of a popular baijiu that night, adding that he had multiple accounts shut down by Douyin, which bans content creators from drinking during their livestreams.
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