Shenzhen Officer Wu Long Dies Heroically in Line of Duty

A 25-year-old police officer in Shenzhen, China, died heroically on July 12 after engaging in a fierce struggle with a knife-wielding suspect to protect public safety, drawing widespread national mourning and reigniting public debate about frontline police equipment and training.

Wu Long (吴龙), an officer at the Liuyue Police Station under the Longgang Branch of the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, was on duty with auxiliary police officer She Jiabin when they encountered a knife-wielding criminal. Despite sustaining severe stab wounds, Wu Long fought on alongside She Jiabin and bystanders to subdue the suspect before succumbing to blood loss, according to Sina News citing an official statement from the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau.

A Life of Service Cut Short

Born in October 2000 in Kunming, Yunnan Province, Wu Long was part of China’s “post-2000s” generation — the first cohort of officers from this generation to die in the line of duty. Colleagues remembered him as “upright, simple, and enthusiastic,” frequently volunteering for demanding missions, including traveling for fugitive apprehension operations during the Spring Festival holiday, as People’s Daily reported.

Wu Long was known for his diligence and rapid professional growth, carefully handling every case assigned to him. He treated members of the public with patience and meticulousness, earning multiple thank-you banners from grateful citizens over the course of his service.

National Farewell

On July 15, a farewell ceremony was held at the Shenzhen Funeral Home under rainy skies. More than 800 people attended, including senior officials from the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, Shenzhen municipal government leaders, representatives from the Organization Department and Political and Legal Affairs Commission, police officers in uniform, Wu Long’s family and friends, and local residents. Wreaths were sent by the Ministry of Public Security and the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, among other units, as The Paper reported.

“The heroic spirit never dies, the noble spirit lives forever; a loyal heart shines over Shenzhen,” the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau said in a statement carried by multiple outlets. “Comrade Wu Long’s loyal, fearless, and self-sacrificing spirit will forever be engraved on the police badge and remembered in the hearts of the people.”

Broader Context of Police Deaths in China

Wu Long’s death at age 25 is notably young compared to the average age of approximately 40 for Chinese police officers who die in the line of duty. According to Ministry of Public Security data released on the 5th Chinese People’s Police Day on January 10, 2025, a total of 382 police and auxiliary police officers died in the line of duty nationwide in 2024, with 201 of those deaths attributed to sudden cardiac events related to overwork.

Since Shenzhen’s establishment as a special economic zone, 76 police officers had died in the line of duty as of 2020, a number that had risen to 87 by 2021 including border defense troops.

Public Debate on Police Safety

The incident has sparked significant public discussion on Chinese social media, with hundreds of comments on news articles questioning why frontline police officers are not routinely equipped with firearms when confronting knife-wielding suspects. Commenters also raised concerns about hand-to-hand combat training for grassroots officers and the inherent tension between the police mission to “control and subdue” versus a criminal’s intent to “kill.”

According to Tencent News reporting from Yangcheng Evening News, the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau has stated that all police and auxiliary police in the city will “turn grief into strength, take Comrade Wu Long as an example,” and work to build “a higher level of safe Shenzhen and rule-of-law Shenzhen.”

What to Watch For

As of now, no information has been released about the identity or fate of the knife-wielding suspect, nor whether Wu Long has been recommended for posthumous honors such as martyr (烈士) status. The case has also raised unanswered questions about what specific equipment Wu Long and his colleagues were carrying at the time of the incident, and whether policy changes regarding police armament and training may follow.

Wu Long’s sacrifice has resonated deeply across Chinese society, highlighting both the risks faced by frontline law enforcement officers and the ongoing public debate about how best to protect those who protect the public.