In 2022, China court acquits father who killed attacker while defending daughter from alleged sexual assault
A Chinese court has ruled that a father who fought off six attackers to protect his 19-year-old daughter acted in legitimate self-defence, despite one of the assailants later dying from his injuries.
- A father confronted six men who were allegedly harassing and attempting to assault his daughter.
- One attacker died and five were injured during the struggle.
- The court ruled the father’s actions constituted legitimate self-defence and acquitted him.
CHINA: A court in Ye County, Henan province, has ruled that a father who injured six men — one fatally — while protecting his daughter from an alleged assault acted in legitimate self-defence.
The incident occurred in 2022 at night when the father, surnamed Li, encountered his 19-year-old daughter being harassed by a group of six men while they were out together.
According to court findings, the six men were unemployed youths from the area who had been drinking that evening.
After spotting Li and his daughter, they allegedly began making vulgar remarks, following them closely and attempting to touch the young woman.
Violence Escalates Despite Attempts to Stop Harassment
When Li stepped in to stop the harassment, the men reportedly became more aggressive.
They pushed and punched him, and forcibly dragged his daughter toward a corner by the roadside, allegedly attempting to sexually assault her.
In a bid to protect his daughter, Li picked up a wooden stick from the roadside in an attempt to scare the men away.
However, the situation escalated further when the assailants reportedly produced knives and attempted to surround and attack him.
Father Injured While Fighting Back
During the ensuing struggle, Li was stabbed several times. Despite his injuries, he continued to fight back with the wooden stick in an effort to fend off the attackers and prevent further harm to his daughter.
In the chaos, Li struck one of the men on the head, causing him to lose consciousness. The man later died despite medical treatment. The remaining five attackers sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Following the incident, police intervened and Li was placed under criminal detention on suspicion of “intentional injury resulting in death”.
The case later went to court, where judges conducted a detailed review of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Court: Actions Were Necessary and Proportionate
After deliberation, the court ruled that Li’s actions constituted legitimate self-defence.
The judgment stated that Li’s motive was to protect his daughter and himself from an ongoing and severe unlawful infringement. F
acing six attackers armed with knives, his personal safety was under direct and immediate threat, and there were no reasonable alternatives available at the time.
The court further found that Li’s actions were necessary to stop the assault and were directly linked to the attackers’ unlawful conduct. His response did not exceed reasonable limits of self-defence under the law.
As a result, Li was found not criminally liable and was acquitted.
Verdict Draws Public Support
The ruling has drawn widespread praise online, with many netizens saying it reinforces public confidence in the legal system.
Commentators noted that clear recognition of legitimate self-defence helps deter violent crime while assuring law-abiding citizens that they will not be punished for protecting themselves or their loved ones in life-threatening situations.
