American Killed at Beijing Olympics

by Kathryn Casey

My Friday post on the inability of any government, even the oppressive Chinese, to wipe out senseless crime unfortunately rang true today, the first day of Olympic competition. Just a short time after the spectacular $100 million opening ceremonies that mesmerized much of the world, the Associated Press reports that an apparently deranged man attacked an American couple, murdering the husband and injuring the wife. The killer then committed suicide by plunging to his own death.

This apparently random act of violence was aimed at Todd and Barbara Bachman of Lakeville, Minn., parents of 2004 volleyball Olympian Elisabeth "Wiz" Bachman (photo right) and in-laws of U.S. men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon. It happened while the Bachmans were sight-seeing at the Drum Tower, an ancient structure where drummers once marked the passage of the hours. Todd Bachman, CEO of the family's Minneapolis home and garden center, died of knife wounds, and his wife suffered serious injuries. Wiz Bachman was with her parents but unhurt.

Meanwhile, Tang Yongming, 47, who has been identified as the assailant, reportedly jumped from a 130-foot balcony on the Drum Tower, located five miles from the main Olympics site. After the murder, the Tower was closed and paddle-locked by Chinese police (AP photo above).

"It's certainly a down day, certainly for the U.S. people," Jim Easton, an American IOC member, told The Associated Press. "Here it is supposed to be a great time of happiness and peace and all that. That's what we work hard for, then for one person to be able to put a dark cloud on that."

From all of us at WCI, our condolences to the Bachman family and friends.

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