Games off to dark start

Just a few hours after a magnificent Opening Ceremony put a happy face on the start of the Olympics, a Chinese man with a knife attacked two relatives of U.S. men's volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon, stabbing one to death and seriously injuring the other.

The Chinese man also wounded a Chinese tour guide who had been showing the Americans the ancient Drum Tower in Central Beijing, then jumped from the tower, killing himself.

Todd Bachman, McCutcheon's father-in-law, died. His wife, Barbara, underwent eight hours of surgery and was in critical but stable condition in a Beijing hospital, the U.S. Olympic Committee said. Their daughter Elisabeth, who is McCutcheon's wife and a 2004 Olympic volleyball player, was with them but was unharmed.

It is horror at the Olympics: a daughter with her parents on a simple sightseeing trip witnessing their attack. It happened at noon Saturday, Beijing time.

''It is impossible to describe the depth of our sadness and shock in this tragic hour,'' said Peter Ueberroth, U.S. Olympic Committee chairman. ''Our delegation comes to the Games as a family, and when one member of our family suffers a loss, we all grieve with them. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with the Bachman and McCutcheon families.''

It is unknown why the attacker went after the Americans -- if it was based on anti-American sentiment or just a random act. They were not wearing clothing identifying themselves with the U.S. team, according to the USOC, and there is no indication the attacker even knew they were American.

Xinhua, the state's news agency, identified the attacker as Tang Yongming, who was 47. The USOC said local law-enforcement officials indicated he acted alone.

But the incident immediately served to rekindle fears of safety at the Olympics in China, especially after terrorist groups had made threats in the last few weeks. The Chinese government has police everywhere and has installed an extensive system of security cameras.

American wrestler T.C. Dantzler of Chicago said Saturday he heard the news from his friend, volleyball player Lindsey Berg, who is shaken up, as are other U.S. athletes.

''Absolutely,'' Dantzler said. ''You just can't imagine how close to home this hits to everybody. People's families come out to support us, and we worry about their safety.

''What happened today seems like an act of random violence. I feel safe in the Olympic Village. We all feel safe. The security the USOC [U.S. Olympic Committee] provides is very substantial. Now, when you ask about the safety of my family, that's a different perspective.''

Dantzler's son, Thomas III, and his parents are scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Monday.

''I'm pretty much going to tell them to pay attention to their surroundings,'' he said, ''and stay away from places that are just a cliche.''

U.S. softball player Jennie Finch, who plays for the Bandits, said her ''heart skipped a beat'' on hearing the news. ''I get concerned. But at the same time, you just have to be smart and live your life.''

Meanwhile, the news leaves the U.S. volleyball team in a shambles. It was set to play its first match today against Venezuela.

Dantzler said officials of each U.S. team received a text mail with the news Saturday, then told the athletes. With the main Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, where Dantzler now lives, many of the U.S. athletes are friends with each other.

So this attack is felt throughout the U.S. team.

''It's really putting a damper on everyone's Olympic spirit,'' Dantzler said. ''It just sort of goes to show you that when it's your time, it doesn't matter if you're on U.S. soil or on the other side of the world.''

Is that true? Did it not matter what country they were from? Just three people out sightseeing. Any three?

''That's one of the things we'll never know,'' Dantzler said. ''We'll never get to the bottom of it.''

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Photo: Mark Ralston, Getty Images / A Chinese security guard locks the gate at the historic Drum Tower, which was the scene of a fatal stabbing Saturday. ;