Four instructors from Iowa’s Cornell College who were teaching at a university in Jilin City, China, were stabbed Monday, according to officials.
Local police said a 55-year-old man with the surname Cui was walking in Beishan Park Monday when he bumped into a foreigner and stabbed the person and the three others who were with him, The Associated Press reported.
The man also stabbed a Chinese citizen who approached in an attempt to intervene, law enforcement said.
Officials at the Iowa college confirmed that the teachers were instructing at Beihua University in Jilin.
They were rushed to a hospital for treatment and none of them were in critical condition, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in a briefing, per the AP.
He added that the stabbing is believed to be an isolated incident, but the investigation is ongoing.
The college’s president, Jonathan Brand, said in a statement shared by the school that the four instructors were in a “serious incident during a daytime visit to a public park while accompanied by a faculty member of the partner institution.”
“We have been in contact with all four instructors and are assisting them during this time,” Brand wrote. “There we no students taking part in this program.”
Adam Zabner, a member of the Iowa State House of Representatives, wrote in a statement online that his brother was one of the instructors and was “wounded in the arm.”
“I spoke to David a few minutes ago, he is recovering from his injuries and doing well,” he said, later adding that is family would “like to see David home in Iowa as soon as possible.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) posted online that she has been in touch with Iowa’s federal delegation and the State Department in response to the “horrifying attack.”
“Please pray for their full recovery, safe return, and their families here at home,” she said.
The AP noted that the State Department said it was aware of the reports and monitoring the situation.
The news wire also reported that news of the incident was suppressed in China since the government maintains control over information that could be considered sensitive.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
