Suspect in His Twenties Dies
"One Man Who Tried to Stop the Suspect Also Killed"
After a random stabbing incident occurred at a Taipei Metro station in Taiwan's capital on the 19th, some stations were temporarily closed, and one of the entrances was blocked. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
In Taiwan, a random stabbing spree at subway stations and a department store resulted in four deaths, including the suspect, and nine injuries.
According to the Central News Agency (CNA) and the Associated Press, the incident occurred on the 19th (local time) around Taipei Station and Zhongshan Station in the capital, Taipei. As of 10:30 p.m. the previous day, there were four fatalities, one person seriously injured, and eight others wounded.
The deceased include the suspect, a man in his late 20s named Zhang Yuan. He continued his indiscriminate attacks before being pursued by police, then jumped from the sixth floor of a department store. He was transported to a hospital but died. Another man who tried to stop the suspect also died.
Zhang Yuan was wanted for failing to report for reserve forces training. He had previous experience in security and guard work, but was currently unemployed. Authorities are investigating whether his failure to report was intentional or if he did not receive the notice due to not updating his address.
Immediately after the incident, Taiwanese authorities raised the alert level across all sectors, including railways, roads, subways, and airports, and are focusing on determining the motive behind the attack. So far, no accomplices have been found.
Police searched the suspect's rental residence, the hotel where he stayed for three days prior to the crime, and his family home. Items related to the manufacture of Molotov cocktails were found at the rental residence. The Associated Press reported that deadly weapons were recovered from both his residence and the hotel.
According to the investigation, on the day of the incident, around 5 p.m., Zhang Yuan donned a gas mask and threw a smoke grenade near an underground exit at Taipei Main Station. During this, a man in his 50s went into cardiac arrest and was transported to the hospital, where he died. Zhang then moved through an underground passage to a hotel near Zhongshan Station, retrieved a weapon, set off another smoke grenade, and launched a random attack on citizens and a motorcycle rider.
He then stormed into the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi Department Store, wielding a weapon on both the first and fourth floors, before jumping out of the building while being chased by police.
This incident has left Taiwanese society in shock and anxiety. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an stated, "Unfortunately, one man who tried to stop the suspect also lost his life," and added, "The subway operator and related agencies will provide comprehensive support."
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