On the evening of March 31st this year, a conflict occurred between off-campus individuals and students at Jinan Electronic Mechanical Engineering School.
According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, three intoxicated men pretended to be deliverymen and teased a female student, leading to a verbal altercation between the two parties.
Three male students intervened upon noticing the situation. Subsequently, the intoxicated men trespassed into the school, with one of them grabbing a male student, Xiao Chao (pseudonym), by the neck. Xiao Chao retaliated with punches, causing the intoxicated man to fall to the ground.
Following the incident, local police arrived at the scene to handle the situation, and both parties signed a reconciliation agreement.
On April 1st, Xiao Chao’s father received a detention notice from the Jinan Public Security Bureau’s High-tech Development Zone Branch, stating that Xiao Chao was criminally detained on suspicion of intentional injury.
In response, Xiao Chao’s father told Red Star News that the intoxicated men initiated the physical altercation and Xiao Chao acted in self-defense.
Local police informed Red Star News that the case is under investigation, and they cannot disclose details of the proceedings.
Xiao Chao’s father told Red Star News that after reviewing surveillance footage, it was evident that the off-campus individuals initiated the violence. He stated, “The surveillance video is clear.
After the three intoxicated men rushed into the campus, one of them grabbed my child’s neck. My child felt suffocated and fought back. My child punched him twice, and he fell.”
Another informed source confirmed this information to Red Star News.
After the conflict, police and medical services promptly arrived at the scene. The injured intoxicated man was taken to the hospital, diagnosed with cerebral hernia, and underwent surgery.
He is now conscious and has been transferred from the ICU to a general ward.
Xiao Chao’s father stated that when he reviewed the surveillance footage at the police station, it was evident that the off-campus individuals initiated the violence. He said, “The three intoxicated men rushed into the campus, and one of them grabbed my child’s neck. My child felt suffocated and fought back. My child punched him twice, and he fell.”
Xiao Chao’s father said that during the interrogation on the night of March 31st, Xiao Chao was accused of intentional injury. After being detained for 24 hours at the police station, Xiao Chao was interrogated again on April 1st and presented with a charge of intentional injury.
However, Xiao Chao’s father refused to sign the confession. He stated, “They asked me to sign, accusing my child of intentional injury, but I don’t acknowledge it. He (the intoxicated man) rushed into the school and attacked my child first. It’s not our child who caused him to be in this state; he fell and injured himself while intoxicated. I believe it was self-defense.”
In response to the incident, Red Star News contacted the Jinan Public Security Bureau’s High-tech Development Zone Branch, whose staff stated, “The case is under investigation, and we cannot disclose details of the proceedings.”
When contacted, the injured man’s family declined to provide any information or interviews.
Guo Jing’s point of view
In China, the proportion of cases deemed as legitimate self-defense is indeed low, not exceeding 10%. It is hoped that this situation can be changed in the future to make the defense of legitimate self-defense more effective.
Legitimate self-defense is an important legal principle that should be better reflected and protected in criminal justice. By strengthening legal publicity and education, raising public awareness of the right to legitimate self-defense can help people better understand when self-defense actions are justified.
Additionally, the judicial system should enhance the review and adjudication of cases involving legitimate self-defense to ensure that each case treats the defendant’s self-defense actions fairly and objectively, and reasonable judgments are made based on sufficient evidence. Moreover, the legal system should be further improved to clarify the definition and conditions of legitimate self-defense, providing defendants with greater defense space.
Through these efforts, the low proportion of cases determined as legitimate self-defense can gradually be changed, safeguarding citizens’ right to self-defense and promoting social fairness and justice.