Cornell College instructor recounts surviving stabbing in China

David Zabner was descending a mountain when he heard a scream.

“I turned around to find a man brandishing a knife at me. I didn’t immediately realize what was happening. I thought my coworkers had been pushed, and he, for some reason was trying to push me,” Zabner told IPR News from his hospital room. “And then I looked down at my shoulder and realized, 'I’m bleeding. I’ve been stabbed.'”

Earlier that morning, Zabner and three colleagues from Cornell College had planned to see the Dragon Boat Festival on the Songhua River. But they found the banks too crowded to see the water. They opted instead to go to nearby Beishan Park.

“It’s a beautiful, green, mountainous park in the middle of Jilin. And it has some Buddhist temples and nice walking trails. It’s got a great view of the city from the top,” he said.

Zabner was one of four instructors visiting the area from Mount Vernon’s Cornell College. Since 2018, Cornell has partnered with Beihua University in Jilin City, China. Zabner first visited with the program in 2019 to teach computer science courses. Jilin City was cold in November, akin to his hometown of Iowa City in the winter.

“I was really excited to get to see it in the summer,” he said.

So he returned to teach in 2024. On free days, he would go out sightseeing.

According to China’s foreign ministry, a man with the surname Cui was walking by Zabner’s group as they descended the mountain.

“Police told us that he was unemployed and down on his luck, and that somebody in our group bumped into the man,” Zabner said. “And he decided to respond in the way he responded."

Pictures and video of the aftermath began circulating on Chinese social media sites, most of which has since been taken down. In one picture, Zabner is on his side, wincing in pain. After roughly 20 minutes, Zabner said, paramedics arrived. In the picture, there is another instructor behind him bleeding profusely from his back. In another video he can be heard trying to make phone calls home.

Zabner was stabbed in the arm six inches below his shoulder. As of Tuesday morning, he and his three colleagues were still receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

Police said they have arrested Cui. They also claim a fifth Chinese person was stabbed in the incident.

State leaders and Iowa’s Congressional delegation have been in contact with Zabner’s family.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, whose district includes Cornell College, put out a statement on X.

“My team has been in communication with Cornell College and will do everything in our power to bring these Iowans home safely," she said.

Zabner’s family lives in U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ congressional district. She told IPR News her office was working with the U.S. Embassy to ensure all four victims received the care they need and get out of China safely.

Zabner said he appreciates the thoughts and prayers from people back home, and the help from the U.S. Consulate and Iowa’s Congressional delegation. He said he’s looking forward to returning to Iowa as soon as he can.