BEIJING – The exuberance and euphoria from a spectacular Opening Ceremony quickly dissipated when, just 12 hours later, the father-in-law of U.S. men’s volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon was stabbed and killed at a popular Beijing tourist attraction.
Todd Bachman and his wife, Barbara, were visiting the 13th century Drum Tower a few miles south of the main complex of Olympic venues when, according to Chinese and American officials, a knife-wielding Chinese man attacked them and their female Chinese tour guide. The man then plunged to his death by jumping from the second level of the Drum Tower, about 130 feet high.
Todd Bachman, of Lakeville, Minn., died from stab wounds, according to a U.S. Olympic Committee release. Barbara Bachman and the tour guide were taken to an area hospital with what were described as “serious and life-threatening” injuries.
Their daughter, Elisabeth, was with them but was not injured. She played for the U.S. women’s national team at the 2004 Olympics and married McCutcheon in 2006.
The U.S. men are scheduled to open the Olympic volleyball tournament today at 9:30 p.m. San Diego time, and it is unclear whether McCutcheon will be on the bench or assistant Ron Larsen will handle his duties. Larsen is a former UC San Diego men’s coach who joined the national team staff in 2005.
The U.S. women’s team played their opening match against Japan last night, with several members who were Elisabeth Bachman’s teammates in 2004. Elisabeth and her parents likely had plans to attend the match.
The attack took place shortly after noon, and the Drum Tower was immediately cordoned off by Chinese law enforcement. But further details remained unavailable.
Beijing is considered among the safest cities in the world, with an infinitesimal murder rate given its population of 17.4 million. The last known murder of a foreigner came in 2006, when an Italian woman was stabbed in the Chaoyang district on the city’s east side.
“We all need to learn more about what motivated this,” USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said. “It’s far too early to suggest in any way that this had anything to do with the Olympics… The victims were not wearing apparel or other attire that would identify them as being Americans or here in support of the U.S. team.”
China’s Xinhua news agency reported the attacker was Tang Yongming, a 47-year-old man from Hangzhou, a city in China’s eastern Zhejiang province.
President Bush, who watched beach volleyball with his Laura, said he was “saddened by the attack on an American family” and “the United States government has offered to provide any assistance the family needs.”
The news traveled quickly among U.S. athletes and team personnel, casting a pall over the first full day of competition that included a U.S. gold-silver-bronze medals sweep by female fencers.
“It is impossible to describe the depth of our sadness and shock in this tragic hour," USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth said in a statement. "Our delegation comes to the Games as a family, and when one member of our family suffers a loss, we all grieve with them.”