Police shooting at demolition debated

A preliminary investigation into a police shooting in which a villager was killed and another shot in the leg during a land dispute in Panjin, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, is being met with public skepticism.

Investigators from the city's prosecutors and the Committee of Political and Legislative Affairs found that the officer, Zhang Yan, was justified in shooting the two villagers. The investigators' report said that Wang Shujie, 36, poured gasoline on himself and others and attempted to set Zhang on fire.

The public and online observers are not convinced the entire truth has been told, with many concluding it is another case of abuse of power involving land expropriation.

By 6 pm Sunday, more than 1 million postings discussing the incident could be found on Sina Weibo. Most netizens left angry comments regarding forced land seizures with many doubting that the demolition team had court-issued authority to tear down the villagers' homes.

The investigation found that the villagers were demanding higher compensation and that the police were called to the site after the demolition team had been threatened with violence.

Villagers said the day before the demolition team arrived with bulldozers and other heavy machinery, more than 100 men had entered the village to pressure villagers into leaving, according to the Beijing News Sunday.

Wang Cailiang, a lawyer from the All China Lawyers Association specializing in demolition regulations, said local armed police should not have been at the site and that they were used by the demolition department. He too doubted the demolition team had exhausted all court procedures and was attempting to intimidate the villagers.

"The villagers legally defended themselves. It was illegal for the demolition department to make use of the local police to fight the villagers," Wang said.

The police investigation said Wang Shujie was shot dead early Friday morning, after he poured gasoline over himself, members of the demolition team and police officer Zhang Yan, threatening to set them on fire.

Zhang called three other officers to the scene but Wang's family chased them from the site with axes and sickles, said the police report.

Wang Zaiyuan, Wang Shujie's father, tried to grab Zhang's gun but was shot in the leg during the struggle. The younger Wang then lit himself on fire and ran toward the police officer who then shot and killed Wang.

The Ministry of Public Security has forbidden local police officers from participating in forceful evictions since 2011. Court-ordered evictions are carried out by a court police detachment known as the "fa jing."

"Police should prevent conflicts from escalating, rather than simply help the demolition team," Wang the lawyer said.

The city government's website said the villagers' land is required in order to "redevelop the city."