A “firecracker-like” device was set off outside the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China on Thursday. Only the man who set off the “device” was injured, report authorities. Videos from bystanders went viral on Twitter early, according to CNN.
One video, shared by CNN’s Will Ripley, shows the confusion in the aftermath. You can see there is a lot of smoke, but no appearance of panic.
#breaking One person detonates an explosive device in a public area on the southeast side of the U.S. embassy compound in Beijing. Only the suspect injured, condition unknown. Chinese police investigating. Videos of smoke near the embassy widely circulated on Chinese social media pic.twitter.com/WIuSxP0h7C
— Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) July 26, 2018
Here is more from the Wall Street Journal.
The explosion happened about 1 p.m. local time just outside the embassy’s southeast corner, an embassy spokesman said. The embassy confirmed that the man who detonated the device was the only person injured.
Police said the man, identified as a 26-year-old surnamed Jiang from Inner Mongolia, hurt his own hand after setting off a “firecracker like” device. The investigation into the case is continuing, police said.
Location of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing
The embassy is in an area of other diplomatic compounds, offices and hotels in northeastern Beijing, and the explosion occurred near the area where people line up to enter the consular section for visa services.
Watch the clip above, courtesy of CNN.
[Featured image via screengrab]
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