Three of the injured were in critical condition following the blast Monday night in Huxi Park in Shanxian county in Shandong province's Heze city, the official Xinhua News Agency said.Initial investigations indicated that the suspect committed suicide but it was not yet clear what material he used to spark the blast, press officer Li Meng of the county public security bureau told The Associated Press.
Xinhua named the dead suspect as Xie Xingtang, 33. Li said the suspect was unemployed and had been suffering from liver cirrhosis. He had been admitted to hospital many times, but medical treatment had failed.
The blast happened outside the park entrance in a small square, where senior citizens had likely gathered to watch Chinese opera and participate in other activities, Li said.
There have been a series of cases in China where people with grievances or who were involved in feuds have used homemade bombs to blow up themselves and others. Bombs are often the weapon of choice because firearms are tightly controlled and difficult to obtain.
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