http://www.ucanews.com/news/lynch-mob-kills-man-after-indonesian-school-attack/77894
Lynch mob kills man after Indonesian school attack Large crowd storms police station to get at suspect accused of stabbing several children An injured child is treated after a man attacked elementary students in East Nusa Tenggara province on Dec.13. Seven children suffered serious injuries. (Photo by Isto Leba) Ryan Dagur, Jakarta Indonesia December 14, 2016 An angry lynch mob has stormed a police station and killed a man in custody for attacking children with a knife at a local elementary school. Hundreds of people broke into the police station on Dec. 13 and beat the man to death. The 13 officers on duty were powerless to stop them. "The perpetrator has died after hundreds of people ransacked police station and pelted the man with stones," said Jules Abraham Abast, spokesman of East Nusa Tenggara police. Police only identified the attacker as a local fish vendor believed to have been suffering from a mental disorder. However, subsequent media reports identified him as Irwansyah, 32, of Bekasi, West Java. Irwansyah had been arrested for an attack at a public school in Sabu Raijua district on the morning of Dec. 13. He allegedly rushed into a classroom wielding a knife and began stabbing children. Seven fifth grade students were seriously injured, suffering knife wounds to their faces, throats and hands and were being treated at local hospital; one was in critical condition. The incidents occurred in Christian-majority East Nusa Tenggara province, and drew immediate condemnation from church leaders. However, it was not clear what the man's motive was for attacking the children. Franciscan Father, Yohanes Kristoforus Tara, coordinator of Franciscan Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation for West Timor, called for calm. "Exercise restraint and do not easily get provoked," he said. Locals should remain alert in case the incident was part of a conspiracy to spur conflict in East Nusa Tenggara, he added. Thomas Tukan of the Indonesian Catholic Student Association urged the government and police to enact swift justice on the mob to prevent simmering tensions and anger from boiling over. "If it is not resolved immediately, it could lead to other conflicts elsewhere," he said. Abdul Kadir Makarim, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council for East Nusa Tenggara asked people not to associate the violence with religion. "Let's not be provoked and allow people to link the incident to [this] particular religion," he said. "We also urge the people of all religions in the province particularly in Sabu Raijua district to maintain long-established harmony," Makarim added.
