Three killed, nine injured in Taipei metro knife attack after smoke bombing

Three people were killed and nine others injured Friday when a knife-wielding attacker carried out a rampage at Taipei's Metro during the evening rush hour. The assailant set off smoke bombs at Taipei Main Station, then moved through a busy underground shopping street to Zhongshan Station, police and officials said. The 27-year-old suspect, identified by officials as Chang Wen, later died after falling from a multi-story building during a confrontation with officers. Investigators have not publicly determined a motive.

The attack began around 5:20 p.m. local time as crowds filled the city's transport hub. Videos circulating on social media show a figure wearing a baseball cap and dark clothing releasing smoke and then brandishing a large knife as pedestrians ran for cover. Authorities said the attacker detonated smoke bombs and Molotov cocktails at the Main Station, a transit complex connected to an underground shopping passage. A man who tried to intervene was struck with a blunt object and died later in hospital, officials said. The suspect then fled toward Zhongshan Station, about 800 meters away, before taking an apparent detour to a hotel to obtain another weapon and returning to the street outside Zhongshan Station to carry out more attacks. He entered a nearby bookstore and a department store before police surrounded him and he fell from the building, dying shortly afterward at a hospital.

Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai said security will be stepped up at metro and rail stations and at airports, with authorities reviewing security procedures across transport hubs. "We will investigate his background and associated relationships to understand his motives and determine if there are other connected factors," Cho said, according to Reuters. President William Lai said the government will pursue a swift, thorough inquiry. State media and officials also noted the suspect had a criminal record and was wanted by authorities, though details were not immediately disclosed.

Attacks of this kind are rare in Taiwan, which generally records low rates of violent crime. The most recent similar incident occurred in 2014 when a man killed four people on an underground train in Taipei; that perpetrator was executed in 2016. Friday's events occurred during the city's evening rush hour, underscoring how transit systems can be focal points for violence and how authorities respond with increased security and public reassurance.

Police have not released a final count of the injured, but the toll included nine people hospitalized with varying injuries, some serious. Investigators are examining surveillance footage, witness accounts, and the suspect's background to determine motive, links to any groups, and whether the attack was planned in advance or opportunistic. The investigation is expected to take days as authorities map the suspect's movements and contacts in the lead-up to the attack.