Taxi driver Mr. Zhu remains unconscious
Mr. Qu feels heartbroken that the helped taxi driver sneaked away
■ Report by journalist Tao Bin and intern Li Na, photos by Zhao Yu
According to reports, at around 3:00 AM yesterday morning, Changchun taxi driver Mr. Zhu was driving with passenger Mr. Qu along Changchun Street when they noticed four young men attacking a taxi driver. Out of kindness, both of them tried to mediate and stop the fight, but were severely stabbed by the four young men. Seeing the situation turn worse, the helped taxi driver quickly drove away from the scene without even reporting the incident or trying to stop it. By the afternoon, after surgery, Mr. Zhu and Mr. Qu lay in their hospital beds wrapped in bandages, saying they felt heartbroken.
Standing up for justice
The kind-hearted taxi driver and passenger got injured
At around 3:20 AM on October 8th, as young Changchun resident Mr. Qu was taking a taxi past the intersection of Changchun Street and Da Jing Road, he encountered a red light. Mr. Qu noticed a taxi stopped in the middle of the road, with four drunken youths yelling around it, two of whom had already gotten into the car. A minute later, when the green light came on, the taxi Mr. Qu was riding in started moving forward. Concerned about the potential trouble for the other taxi driver, Mr. Qu expressed his worry to taxi driver Mr. Zhu who was driving him. Mr. Zhu also wanted to help and persuade them, so the two turned back at the turning point.
By this time, the conflict between the two sides had escalated, leading to physical contact. The four youths, seeing someone coming to help, began cursing at Mr. Qu first. Realizing the situation was changing, Mr. Qu immediately told Mr. Zhu to seek help through the taxi's walkie-talkie, while Mr. Qu himself called the police. The four youths became increasingly agitated and took out a long knife. During this process, several taxis passed by, and someone could be heard shouting, "Watch out for their knives!" Standing below the car, Mr. Zhu and Mr. Qu instinctively stepped back. Suddenly, a group of people started struggling together, making the scene more chaotic. In just a few short minutes, both Mr. Qu and Mr. Zhu were injured.
The helped taxi driver ran away
They felt more hurt inside
Yesterday afternoon, reporters visited the hospital where Mr. Qu and Mr. Zhu were admitted. After the surgery, Mr. Zhu remained unconscious, and his mother Ms. Li was taking care of him in the ward. Looking at her unconscious son, the elderly woman shed tears. Ms. Li said her son has always been righteous and has frequently stood up for justice since he was a child. "When he woke up after the surgery, he nodded at me, not wanting me to worry."
Mr. Qu lying in the bed opposite to Mr. Zhu was relatively better off, although he too had been stabbed once. Mr. Qu said that at the time, neither he nor Mr. Zhu knew what was happening; the other side attacked them, and they fought back, knocking one person down. "A man in black came over and struggled with Mr. Zhu. Worried about his safety, I pulled the man in black back, but unexpectedly, a man in white quickly came over and gave me a stab." Mr. Qu said that within a few minutes, the attackers all fled, and Mr. Zhu’s teammates from his taxi fleet gradually arrived, some chasing the assailants, others looking after them.
"Mr. Zhu's teammate said we were too foolish, because during the fight, the taxi driver we helped had already driven away..." Mr. Qu said they only felt heartbroken at that moment.
One of the assailants was caught
Medical expenses are a problem for both families
During the process of sending Mr. Zhu and Mr. Qu to the hospital, the arriving taxi drivers chased after them and eventually caught one of the four assailants, handing him over to the Ziqiang Street Police Station for handling.
According to Dr. Wang, the attending physician in the surgical department of this hospital, Mr. Zhu's condition is currently quite serious; he was stabbed through the diaphragm, broke a rib, suffered a stomach perforation, and had seven internal injuries. He needs to be observed for 48 hours after the surgery. Mr. Qu sustained an external knife wound and left-sided hemothorax, and cannot eat temporarily, requiring hospitalization and observation. It is understood that neither Mr. Qu's nor Mr. Zhu's family conditions are good, and facing the expensive medical bills, both families are filled with worry.
The police have intervened in the investigation
Both can apply for recognition as righteous individuals
Yesterday, according to the Ziqiang Street Police Station of the Changchun Municipal Public Security Bureau, they are actively reviewing this case. Yesterday afternoon, the police went to the hospital to take Mr. Qu's statement and showed him some photos to identify the appearance of the attacker.
Regarding whether Mr. Qu's and Mr. Zhu's actions count as acts of righteousness, Director Yang of the Righteousness Office of the Changchun Municipal Public Security Bureau said that the two can submit application materials for recognition as righteous individuals to relevant departments, and after review, a decision will be made.