On the evening of September 30, a tragedy broke out at Ludu International Shopping Plaza in Songjiang District, Shanghai, 20 minutes before closing time: a 37-year-old man broke into the mall with a knife and randomly attacked others, injuring 18 people, three of whom died. This knife attack not only caused panic among the citizens at the scene, but also made people reflect again on the relationship between social pressure and violent incidents.

Sudden violence and citizens' self-help actions

Mr. Zheng, who was present at the time, was one of the witnesses of the incident. He had just finished a dinner with his friends and was about to leave the mall when he suddenly saw a man stabbing innocent people with a knife. Mr. Zheng and his friends tried to stop the attacker by throwing chairs, but the man acted quickly and disappeared in the crowd in a blink of an eye. He described the scene at the time: "There were screams everywhere, and everyone fled in all directions. The murderer cursed and stabbed around, obviously prepared."

Outside the mall, two young stall owners also witnessed the process of the knife-wielding man being subdued by the police. The two said that the attacker was calm and seemed to have everything under control. He remained expressionless after being controlled by the police, as if he was not afraid of the consequences. A video of him being taken away was also circulated on social media. The man was covered in blood and the scene was shocking.

Motives behind the crime: the deep impact of economic disputes and social pressure

According to the police, the reason for the murder was "personal economic disputes and coming to Shanghai to vent anger." He was angry at others because of economic problems and chose to vent his emotions in extreme means. This incident triggered a discussion in society about the motivations behind violent incidents. In recent years, economic pressure has increased and social competition has intensified. The pressure accumulated in many people's lives has not been effectively released, and the lack of mental health support has accumulated potential hidden dangers, which eventually turned into violent incidents.

The increasingly frequent knife attacks and random violent acts in society reflect a certain unstable mood in society. Some psychologists point out that in the face of an increasingly complex economic environment, mental health support for members of society is particularly important, and long-term neglect may lead to more extreme behavior.

Mall resumes business, pain and fear remain

Shockingly, less than 12 hours after the incident, Ludu International Shopping Plaza had resumed normal operations, the blood at the crime scene had been cleaned up, and the mall had returned to calm. However, many merchants and employees are still in fear. A shop owner who was not at the scene said that he was "very scared to come to work again" and described the attack as "like a movie plot." Another woman selling mobile phone accessories was glad that she closed the store earlier, otherwise she might face fatal danger. Despite the increase in security and police force in the mall, many employees are still reluctant to return to work.

Social media and public discussion are limited, and social reflection continues in the dark

After the incident, discussions about the attack on social media were quickly censored, and many people could only mention it in an obscure way. Some netizens expressed gratitude for China's strict control of guns, otherwise such incidents might cause more casualties. However, the media's handling of the incident has aroused public dissatisfaction, and many people questioned the deep-seated reasons behind the frequent violent incidents and called for greater attention to mental health issues.

Although the authorities quickly calmed public opinion, public concerns about safety issues still exist. Mall employees and witnesses were disturbed by the rapid cleanup of the scene. Mr. Zheng said that when he returned to the mall the next day, he found that nothing had happened. There were no flowers, no condolences, and no traces of commemoration.

Social reflection: How to deal with social pressure and violence risks?

The stabbing incident in Songjiang, Shanghai is the latest case in a series of knife attacks in China in recent years. The continuous random attacks have forced people to reflect on the weak links in the social structure: Under the fast pace and economic pressure of modern society, how can individual emotions and mental states be effectively managed? How to establish a more complete mental health support system to help those with psychological distress to prevent the tragedy from happening again?

At present, the panic caused by this violent incident has not dissipated, and the warning behind it has also triggered more thinking. The interweaving of economic disputes, mental illness, social pressure and other factors makes similar incidents possible under certain conditions. Under certain conditions, it is possible to become a hidden danger that cannot be ignored. Experts suggest that more attention should be paid to mental health, and more emotional management support should be provided in the community and workplace, so that more people can find an effective outlet when facing pressure.

Responding to the hidden dangers of violence with a healthy social system

This incident reminds us that in the seemingly peaceful life, the hidden worries of society and people's mental health needs should not be ignored. Although the mall has returned to normal, the fear of witnesses and the pain of the victims' families still exist. Building a social system that values mental health and provides emotional support will not only help reduce the risk of violence, but also provide better life security for everyone.