Shock, disbelief and sympathy.
Those were just some of the reactions Chinese social media users expressed in the aftermath of two murders in a politically polarised United States.
The most recent of the two was the high-profile shooting of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk on September 10. Kirk was a familiar figure to many younger Chinese, with his videos shared on Chinese social media accounts in recent years.
The second incident was the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska last month, a death that received little attention at the time but was propelled into the public spotlight this week by the American right pushing for tougher action on crime.
The two attacks have become the latest flashpoints for broader debate on political violence, crime control and immigration in the US where both political parties are aggressively trying to shape the public narrative ahead of midterm elections next year.
FBI releases images of suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting
FBI releases images of suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting
For many Chinese internet users, the cases highlighted the benefits of China’s safety checks for public transport and strict gun control policies.
