A Chinese man attacked two American tourists and a Chinese tour guide in downtown Beijing on Saturday shortly after noon, leading to the death of an American man and injuries to the other two, both women.

The attacker then killed himself by jumping from the second story of the historic Drum Tower, a popular tourist site, after the incident, which took place at about 12:20 p.m., a spokesman with the Beijing Municipal Government Information Office said.

The spokesman did not specify the method of attack, which took place on the second story. The motive for the attack was not immediately known.

He said the American nationals had entered China on tourist visas but did not disclose their identities.

Police rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency call about the attack and sent the two injured women to the hospital, he said.

The attacker was identified as 47-year-old Tang Yongming from the eastern city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, according to an ID card found on his body.

Local authorities are investigating the case, the spokesman said.

Soon after the incident, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) issued a statement on its official website, identifying the American nationals as relatives of a U.S. Olympic volleyball coach.

"The United States Olympic Committee has learned of an incident that occurred earlier today involving two family members of a coach for the United States Olympic Men's Indoor Volleyball Team," the statement said.

"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 USOC is working closely with the United States Embassy, United States law enforcement authorities and local law enforcement authorities," it said.

Located in central Beijing's Dongcheng District, the Drum Tower is a two-story wooden building almost 47 meters high.

The Drum Tower (Gu Lou in Chinese), together with the nearby Bell Tower (Zhong Lou), was used by the ancient Chinese to tell time. Built in 1272 and rebuilt after two fires, the two towers tolled the hours during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1271-1911). Enditem

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2008)