China: Five people are killed after a guy drives into a crowd in Guangzhou.

Chinese police have apprehended a guy who crashed his automobile into pedestrians in Guangzhou, killing five and injuring 13.

The event caused significant public indignation, with many blaming the man for targeting victims on purpose.

Shortly after the incident, videos shared online show the driver stepping out of the car and throwing cash into the air.

The 22-year-old man has been arrested and an inquiry has been initiated.

The accident happened on Wednesday during the evening rush hour at a busy intersection in the southern city of 19 million people.

"He purposefully drove into the people waiting at the traffic light. He deliberately slammed the car into them. He then made a U-turn and hit individuals again "According to Hongxin News, an eyewitness.

"He wasn't going too fast, but some people couldn't get away in the time since they wouldn't have realized he was striking people on purpose."

The suspect also allegedly crashed into a traffic officer and his motorcycle, but the officer escaped.

One widely shared video shows a small girl lying on the ground at the scene of the incident, with a lady identified as her mother crying at her side.

Another eyewitness detailed the aftermath's turmoil on Weibo, China's version of Twitter. The individual added that an hour after the tragedy, the location was still busy with ambulances and traffic police "and they had not cleared all the injured and the deceased from the area".

"The scene was too terrible for me to endure viewing. When I heard the ambulance siren, I felt so terrible that I wanted to vomit "explained the individual.

The tragedy has generated popular outrage, with many mourning the fact that it occurred in the run-up to Chinese New Year, a time for family reunions.

"One of the victims may be a girl who diligently suited up for a date... It could have been a meal deliveryman who was paid five yuan for expediting an order. It could have been a parent who desired to return home and eat dinner with his children. It could be a child who was having a good time shopping "According to one Weibo user.

Many people wondered if the man hailed from a wealthy and influential family because he drove a nice car and threw money into the air.

On Wednesday, the incident rapidly became a trending topic on Weibo, but it later vanished from the "hot searches" list, prompting users to accuse the platform of censorship.

Similar events have occurred recently. A driver rammed a mini truck into pedestrians in the southern province of Fujian in February 2022, killing three and injuring nine.

Following a dispute with hotel workers, a hotel visitor in Shanghai purposely drove his automobile into the lobby earlier this week. That incident resulted in no injuries.