On December 19, a rare and severe public safety tragedy occurred in Taiwan. At approximately 5:20 PM local time, a 27-year-old man first threw smoke grenades and Molotov cocktails onto one of the busiest metro stations. This caused panic and fear among passengers at the station.
Following this, he ran towards another station located roughly 800 meters along the metro line. Reports indicate that along the way, he stabbed several individuals he encountered. Upon reaching the second station, the assault continued as grenades were thrown and further knife attacks occurred.
After the attack, the suspect jumped from the roof of a nearby building. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition but could not be saved by medical staff. As a result, the tragedy claimed four lives.
Among the victims was a man who bravely attempted to stop the attacker. He was initially transported to the hospital with injuries but later succumbed to them.
According to official information, the suspect was identified as Chang Wen, a Taiwanese citizen. The country's Prime Minister, Cho Jung, described the attack as a “premeditated act.” Preliminary investigations suggest that he carried out all actions alone.
Following the tragedy, security measures at train and metro stations across the country were significantly heightened. Additional patrols were deployed, and the frequency of inspections was increased.
It is worth noting that the crime rate related to violence in Taiwan is relatively low, and such incidents are extremely rare. The last major event of this kind occurred in 2014 when four people were killed in the Taipei metro. The perpetrator of that attack was executed two years later.
Thus, today’s attack is being perceived as an unexpected and devastating blow to Taiwanese society.
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