BEIJING, Aug 9: A Chinese man stabbed to death a relative of a US Olympic coach at a Beijing tourist spot on Saturday before committing suicide.

The victim was identified only as an American man who was related to a coach on the US men’s volleyball team. An American woman, also part of the coach’s family, was injured in the attack, along with a Chinese tour guide.

The Chinese attacked them shortly after midday at the centuries-old, 45-metre-high Drum Tower in central Beijing. He died after leaping from the Tower after the attack.

Police said both the American woman and Chinese tour guide were out of danger.

“While at the Drum Tower in central Beijing, the two family members were stabbed during an attack by what local law enforcement authorities have indicated was a lone assailant.

One of the family members was killed and the other seriously injured,” the US Olympic Committee said in a statement.

Tang Yongming, 47, from the eastern city of Hangzhou, leapt from the second storey of the Drum Tower after the assault, police said in a statement.

Police said they did not know the motive for the attack.

Interpol said the attacker’s name had not been found in any of its databases.

US President George W. Bush, in Beijing for the start of the Games with his wife Laura, offered condolences and whatever assistance the victim’s family needed.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” he told reporters.A US embassy spokeswoman said earlier that diplomats had been dispatched to the Beijing hospital where the surviving tourist and the local tour guide were being treated.

“We’re actively following the situation right now and US

Embassy officials are already at the hospital,” the spokeswoman said.

The US volleyball team are due to play their opening game against Venezuela on Sunday.

—Reuters