China's most wanted killer and robber Xie Xianrong was shot dead by police in central Hubei Province Sunday night, ending a two-week chase.

Hundreds of armed police besieged a fishing boat on the Hanjiang River near Zhanggang Town in Tianmen city, Hubei, at about 5:00 p.m. as an eyewitness reported that Xie might be inside the boat.

A gun battle began as Xie refused to surrender and fired a shot at police. Xie was shot and fell into the water in the battle.

Xie's body was retrieved from the river about 10 p.m. Sunday.

The 37-year-old Xie was listed as a Class A criminal wanted by the Ministry of Public Security after he killed four people in a bank robbery in Qianjiang City of Hubei on Sept. 29 this year.

Xie, who was from Lishi Town of Jingmen city, Hubei, had earned himself a notorious reputation due to a serial killing in 2001, when he shot and injured two people in Jingmen city textile workers' college and later killed a taxi driver during his escape.

(China Daily October 14, 2003)