In a horrifying incident that has sent chills across the internet, two teenage girls at a middle school in China were caught on camera appearing to dangle a smaller classmate over the edge of a school rooftop, in what many viewers have branded a chilling attempt to stage her death as suicide.
The disturbing surveillance footage, which exploded online this week and has racked up millions of views, shows the dramatic moment a quick-thinking teacher intervenes just in time to prevent a potential tragedy at Guiyang No. 40 Middle School in Guizhou province.
The clip, lasting around 47 seconds, captures the smaller girl, clearly in distress and screaming, being held perilously close to the edge by two taller classmates in school uniforms. One of the girls is seen hoisting her while the victim struggles and appears terrified.
As the situation escalates, a female teacher bursts onto the scene and immediately takes charge. According to translations and explanations from Chinese speakers, she sternly questions them: "Which class are you from?" before warning: "This game isn't fun! If you push her down, you'll have to pay with your lives!" She then instructs the pair to "squat down" and tells them to "go play some fun games", a phrase experts say is a clever de-escalation tactic in Chinese to calm the situation and highlight the deadly consequences without triggering immediate panic or resistance.
The teacher is seen guiding the distressed victim to safety as the other two girls appear to scatter, with one covering her face. No physical harm came to the students, but the video has sparked outrage and intense debate worldwide.
As of Sunday, no official statements have been released by the school or police regarding arrests, punishments, or the full circumstances behind the incident. It has, however, reignited broader concerns about school bullying, mental health among China's youth, and the pressures of the intense education system.
China has faced scrutiny in the past over student suicides and rooftop safety, with some schools even installing bars on windows and balconies at elite institutions to prevent jumps.
