Family members and friends of Gu Wenqing, the woman killed by a sword-wielding man in Beijing's Sanlitun shopping district last week, denied at the woman's funeral at Dongjiao Funeral Home on Tuesday that the tragedy, in which Gu's French husband was injured, was caused by a love affair.

Gu Wendi, the sister of the deceased woman, told the Global Times that her sister and her spouse did not know the suspect, and she also claimed that the killer had been wandering around the busy commercial area with a sword for three days before the stabbing.

"The murderer said he hated Americans and asked whether my brother-in-law was an American. My brother-in-law replied that he is French and asked him not to hurt them. But the man stabbed them in the back when they walked past him," said Gu.

Zi Xiangdong, spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, told the Global Times that police are investigating the case and he is unable to provide any details.

After photos of the deceased, Gu Wenqing, lying bloodied on the ground went viral, online rumors circulated that the murderer was the girl's ex-lover.

The victim, a native of Shandong Province, and Mariaud Romain, a former employee of Beijing's French Embassy were stabbed Thursday while walking down Sanlitun Bar Street, near the city's flagship Uniqlo clothing store, according to Gu Wendi.

Gu Wenqing died after arriving at the Chaoyang Hospital. Romain was transferred to a normal ward from the Intensive Care Unit on Monday.

According to Beijing police, the suspect surnamed Gao, 25, comes from Jilin Province. He was arrested on site.

Zhang Weibo, criminal lawyer from Beijing Yingke Law Firm, said that the police will give Gao a psychiatric examination. "If the suspect is diagnosed with a mental illness, he will be sent for compulsory treatment. But if not, he may face the death penalty," Zhang said.