Chinese Lecturer Confesses to Strangling University Student in South Korea

Multiple violent crimes occurred globally this week, including the confessed strangulation of a Chinese university student by a lecturer in South Korea, the shooting death of Haryanvi singer Ankit Balyan outside a gym in India, the arrest of an armed man with Melania Trump's schedule at a Trump golf course in California, a car ramming that killed one in Caen, France, and a bandit attack that killed eight travelers in Nigeria.

South Korea: Lecturer Confesses to Killing Chinese Student

A Chinese lecturer in his 30s surnamed Jeong confessed to strangling a 25-year-old Chinese student in Gyeongsan, South Korea on Aug. 20. [1] He allegedly mutilated and disposed of the body, disguised himself in the victim's clothes to simulate her departure, and reported her missing while pretending to be her boyfriend. [1] Officials at Gyeongsan Police Station said the suspect admitted to parts of the allegations against him, including killing the victim in the early hours of Aug. 20. [1] He reportedly told investigators that he strangled her. [1] The victim, a Chinese student, was last seen on surveillance footage outside Jeong's studio apartment in Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, at around 2 a.m. that day. [1] She also made her last contact with family members in China at around the same time. [1] The footage did not show Jeong forcibly taking her into the home, and she was not seen leaving afterward. [1] Investigators have also found indications that Jeong mutilated and disposed of the victim's body and are considering additional related charges. [1] Police have been tracing his movements and checking locations believed to be connected to the disposal of the body. [1] At around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 20, a person wearing the victim's clothes was captured on CCTV heading to Dongdaegu Station. [1] Police later determined that the person was Jeong. [1] He allegedly disguised himself in women's clothing, took the victim's suitcase and cellphone to the station, turned off the phone there and then returned to his home in Gyeongsan. [1] The following day, Jeong called police himself and reported the victim missing, allegedly pretending to be her boyfriend and saying he had not heard from her since she left for Daegu. [1] Police became suspicious while questioning Jeong and later found the victim's body at his home. [1] Jeong was apprehended at around 7:29 p.m. Tuesday on a street in Hayang-eup. [1] Jeong worked as an outside lecturer at a graduate school in Gyeongsan attended by the victim. [1] The woman, who had been working in China, entered Korea on Aug. 14 to receive documents related to her degree, according to police. [1]

India: Haryanvi Singer Shot Dead Outside Gym

Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan, 32, was shot dead in a point-blank attack outside a gym in Shamli, India, with around 18 rounds fired and five bullets striking him. [2] Four assailants on motorcycles fled the scene and no arrests have been made. [2] The incident took place around 7 pm near Aryapuri Nala Patri in the City Kotwali area. [2] Police said the attackers arrived on two motorcycles and opened fire as Balyan stepped out of the gym and headed towards his Scorpio SUV. [2] According to police and eyewitness accounts, four assailants were allegedly waiting outside the gym. [2] Balyan reportedly tried to shield himself by moving towards the co-driver's side of the SUV as a wall obstructed the driver's side. [2] The attackers allegedly pulled open the vehicle door and fired repeatedly at close range. [2] Five bullets reportedly struck Balyan in the head and abdomen, while three hit the front windshield of his SUV. [2] Balyan was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. [2] The attackers fled the scene, and police teams reached the spot soon after. [2] Additional director general of police, Meerut Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar, reached Shamli along with senior officers to oversee the investigation. [2] Superintendent of Police M P Singh said teams had been formed to identify and arrest the assailants. [2] Police are examining CCTV footage from the gym and surrounding areas to identify the attackers and establish the sequence of events. [2] Officials are also looking into a possible link to Haryana and investigating the motive behind the killing. [2] The murder triggered protests by Balyan's family members, supporters and villagers. [2] Protesters blocked the Delhi-Muzaffarnagar Road, around 50 metres from the shooting site, demanding immediate arrests and strict action against the accused. [2] Balyan, a resident of Bantikheda village in Shamli, had more than 3.66 lakh YouTube subscribers and was known for his Haryanvi songs and performances. [2] His videos often featured SUVs and firearms. [2] He was also known for the song "Bhari Court Mein Goli Marenge Meri Jaan." [2] Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the murder, alleging that the law-and-order situation in Uttar Pradesh had been reduced to "zero". [2] Police said no arrests had been made till late Wednesday night and that the investigation was underway. [2]

California: Armed Man With First Lady Schedule Arrested at Trump Golf Course

Jeanine John Taele, 38, was arrested at Trump National Golf Club in California with a loaded pistol, hollow-point ammunition, an illegally modified AR rifle, body armor and over 200 pages of notes including Melania Trump's schedule, USSS personnel details and off-the-grid survival lists. [3] He was ruled mentally unfit for trial. [3] Taele had more than 200 pages of writings that included schedules for the first lady and members of the president's USSS detail. [3] Prosecutors said Taele had seven notebooks containing 208 pages of drawings and sketches of Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, lists of USSS schedules, details about individual security personnel and copies of Melania Trump's schedule. [3] The writings also included detailed lists about surviving "off the grid," according to the AP. [3] Los Angeles County Judge John Lonergan Jr. called the allegations "alarming" during Wednesday's hearing. [3] The judge suspended criminal proceedings after a pretrial evaluation indicated Taele was not mentally fit to stand trial and sent the case to a mental health court. [3] Taele was arrested earlier this month after plainclothes federal agents spotted him walking the grounds of the golf club, taking photographs and videos and appearing to monitor security-planning activities ahead of Trump's visit. [3] Deputies who detained Taele allegedly found a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition in his pants pocket. [3] Authorities searched his vehicle and recovered a loaded pistol with a round in the chamber and another magazine containing hollow-point ammunition. [3] Investigators later searched Taele's Downey home and recovered an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, a .45-caliber pistol, body armor, high-capacity magazines, bulk ammunition, radio signal devices and multiple notebooks containing what authorities described at the time as "concerning statements." [3] Taele, a Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, will remain jailed until a Sept. 9 hearing at Hollywood Mental Health Court. [3]

What to watch next includes the ongoing police investigation into the motive for the South Korea killing, the search for the four assailants in the India shooting, the Sept. 9 mental health court hearing for the California suspect, and security operations along the Gusau-Funtua highway in Nigeria.