BEIJING - An attacker who stabbed two people to death and injured another in downtown Beijing on Saturday has been named as Li Jinghui, local police said Monday.

Li, who also died after sustaining injuries, was originally from Bayan County of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province. The 36-year-old arrived in Beijing on Friday from East China's Shandong province, where he had temporarily lived, police said.

Li "took the drastic actions because he had trouble in his relationship," police said without elaborating.

He attacked drivers and passengers in different cars with a knife on a road near Guangqumen Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

Police officers and citizens surrounded the car which Li got into. He suffered injuries when he tried to resist police arrest using the knife.

Police eventually took control of the situation but Li later died in hospital from his injuries.

Police said those citizens who helped them to control the attacker would be rewarded.

A further investigation into the case is underway.