The second day of the 2008 Olympics will be remembered not for the start of athletic competition, but for a killing at the Drum Tower. Upon arriving at the Water Cube for the first session of swimming, I learned of the murder of a family member of a United States assistant volleyball coach. Another family member was seriously injured.

The act was random and surprising for a country that has minimal attacks on foreigners due to steep penalties for those crimes. While it is obviously a sad start to the Games, hopefully no one will blame the Chinese as a whole or suggest the Games should never have been held here. Nothing could have prevented what occurred, an unfortunate fact when facing someone with a death wish and disregard for life. After his attack, the killer committed suicide by leaping to his death off the Drum Tower.

This nation has put on one heck of a show to this point and will certainly continue to do so. Let's not blame China for this horrible turn of events.