Police Officer Dies at 30 in Inner Mongolia Rescue Attempt
A 30-year-old police deputy station chief in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, has died while attempting to rescue a person threatening to jump from a building, prompting an outpouring of public grief and official recognition across China. Chen Jiaxin, a Grade 2 Police Superintendent at Ziyou Road Police Station, was killed in the line of duty on June 18, according to The Paper.
The Incident
On the afternoon of June 18, the Ziyou Road Police Station received an emergency call reporting that a person was threatening to jump from a building. Chen Jiaxin immediately led her team to the scene. Upon arrival, officers found the individual emotionally distressed and physically unstable, having stood for an extended period and beginning to sway, creating an imminent risk of falling.
At the critical moment, Chen Jiaxin leaped from a window toward the platform where the individual was standing to attempt a rescue. During this maneuver, she suffered an accident and was killed. The suicidal individual was ultimately rescued safely through the coordinated efforts of the response team.
A Life of Service
Chen Jiaxin was born in June 1996 and joined the police force in September 2016 after graduating from Inner Mongolia Police College, where she majored in Traffic Management. She joined the Chinese Communist Party in July 2024. Over her decade-long career, she served in multiple units including the Baotou Patrol Special Police Unit, the Qingshan Criminal Investigation Brigade, Xingfu Road Police Station, and most recently as Deputy Station Chief at Ziyou Road Police Station.
Beijing Daily, citing the official Ping’an Inner Mongolia account, reported that her body was covered with the flag of the Chinese Communist Party at her funeral — a mark of highest honor for party members who die in service.
Farewell Ceremony
A solemn farewell ceremony was held on the morning of June 22 at the Baotou Funeral Home. The hall was adorned with a black-and-white banner reading “Deeply Mourning Comrade Chen Jiaxin,” flanked by a couplet that translated to: “Soft shoulders face danger with great love; blue blood (police service) forges a loyal soul.”
Attendees included officials from the Ministry of Public Security, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Public Security Department, the Baotou Municipal Party Committee and Government, and the Qingshan District government, alongside police representatives, family members, and friends. As reported by Guangming Online, the ceremony drew representatives from across the region to pay their final respects.
Official and Public Response
The Ministry of Public Security and other government bodies expressed condolences to Chen Jiaxin’s family. Her alma mater, Inner Mongolia Police College, published a tribute honoring her as a 2016 graduate. A Baidu Baike encyclopedia entry created shortly after her death had already garnered over 75,000 page views within a day, reflecting significant public interest and mourning.
Chinese media uniformly framed her death as a heroic sacrifice, using language that emphasized the contrast between her youth and femininity and the danger of police work. One widely circulated description from the original report noted: “She was not made of steel; she was her family’s concern, a lively, bright, gentle and kind young woman. But when she put on the dark blue police uniform, she became fearless, walking toward danger, facing death.”
Broader Context
Chen Jiaxin’s death highlights the risks faced by Chinese police officers, who operate under the motto “Serve the People.” Officers who die in the line of duty are typically honored as martyrs and receive official recognition from the Ministry of Public Security. Her case has drawn particular attention due to her age and gender, with many commentators noting that she was a young woman who gave her life in service to others.
Legacy
As one tribute from Beijing Daily concluded: “The person is gone, but her spirit lives forever! Chen Jiaxin, rest in peace!” Her sacrifice has been widely commemorated across Chinese social media and news platforms, with the hashtag for her story trending on multiple outlets. The question of whether she will receive official martyr designation remains open, but the breadth of the official and public response suggests her legacy as a symbol of police dedication is already secure.