A Chinese man killed an American tourist and injured another before committing suicide in downtown Beijing.
The tourists were with a Chinese tour guide when 47-year-old Tang Yongming attacked them.
Yongming then took his own life by jumping from the second story of the Drum Tower, a popular tourist attraction in the city’s north.
A spokesman from the Beijing municipal government said the attack happened around noon.
A United States embassy spokesman said it was "aware of the reports of the accidents suffered by two American citizens".
"We are working with the Chinese authorities to find out more on the cause of the incident," he added.
The spokesman did not provide any further comment but said US officials were in contact with the families of the two Americans who are in Beijing.
Police blocked off the streets leading to the Drum Tower immediately after the attack.
The area was also surrounded by yellow police tape while security officers examined the area on the ground level.