Lone attacker in Taipei attack kills four, police say
Authorities say the suspect acted alone; investigators review motive and tighten security across Taiwan.
A man who acted alone killed four people, including himself, in an attack Friday evening in Taipei, Taiwan, police said Saturday. The suspect, Chang Wen, 27, from Taoyuan, died after falling from a building during a police chase in a busy shopping district in central Taipei. Police said they have found no evidence of accomplices.
Authorities said Wen used a smoke grenade at Taipei’s main train station before moving to a nearby mall and continuing the attack, striking people inside the shopping center and along the route there. Eleven people were injured, with two in intensive care, according to the health ministry.
Premier Cho Jung-tai said Wen had been the subject of an arrest warrant for suspected evasion of Taiwan’s compulsory military service. The investigation is ongoing, and officials have said there is no indication that other suspects were involved.
Violent crime is rare in Taiwan, and in response police have stepped up presence across the island, including in Taipei. Mayor Chiang Wan-an told reporters that security measures would be upgraded citywide, with more officers on patrol and ensuring that officers are fully equipped with the necessary gear in crowded commercial districts.
President Lai Ching-te visited some of the injured in hospital on Saturday and said the government would learn lessons from the incident and ensure rapid-response units can be mobilised immediately when emergencies occur, to safeguard public safety.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack, with officials saying there is no clear pattern yet. Police will continue to review security protocols for major transit hubs and shopping areas to prevent a recurrence and reassure the public.
Authorities stressed that security measures remain heightened in Taipei and across Taiwan as investigators press ahead with interviews and scene assessments. The incident marks a rare instance of mass violence in the country’s capital, prompting reflections on readiness and rapid-response protocols for emergencies.
