A man armed with a knife and smoke grenades has killed three people and injured 11 others in a violent rampage across central Taipei, authorities have confirmed.
Chaos at the Metro and Shopping District
The attack began on Friday during the evening rush hour near the busy Taipei Main Station. The suspect, identified by police as 27-year-old Chang Wen, threw smoke grenades near an underground exit, creating panic and confusion.
He then moved north towards the popular Zhongshan shopping district, continuing his assault. Local news footage showed the attacker, wearing a gas mask and black clothing, deploying smoke bombs before stabbing people at a department store on its first and fourth floors.
Fatal Confrontation and Police Pursuit
A 57-year-old man bravely attempted to intervene at the metro station exit but was fatally wounded. Medical reports from the National Taiwan University Hospital stated he suffered a penetrating injury about five centimetres long from a sharp object that reached from his right lung to his left atrium.
Another victim attacked near the department store also died from their injuries. One survivor described being struck outside the store, initially thinking she had been hit before realising she was stabbed and seeing others bleeding on the ground.
Following a police chase, the suspect fell to his death from the sixth floor of the department store building, according to Taiwan's national news agency.
Investigation into Motives and Background
Taiwan's Premier, Cho Jung-tai, stated the attack appeared to be a deliberate act, with the suspect using smoke bombs and a long knife to carry out indiscriminate violence. Police are investigating his motives.
It was revealed that Chang Wen had a prior criminal record and outstanding warrants, including one for violating mandatory military service laws. Investigators recovered lethal weapons from his rental home in Taipei and a hotel room near Zhongshan where he had stayed for three nights prior to the attack.
Of the 11 injured, six remain in hospital with two reported to be in intensive care. Authorities have pledged a full investigation into his background and any potential connections.
