A knife-wielding assailant fatally shot two individuals and wounded multiple others in a violent spree on a busy street, allegedly triggering smoke bombs. The tragic incident unfolded outside the primary train station in central Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time on Friday, extending to a nearby subway station situated in a bustling commercial area.
The perpetrator is suspected to have ignited smoke bombs at the station’s exit, shrouding the vicinity in dense fumes that caused distress among some commuters struggling to breathe. Eyewitnesses reported hearing numerous muted explosions followed by the spread of orange smoke emitting a chemical odor.
Following the smoke grenade assault, a man in his 50s, a victim of the attack, was hurried to the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest. Despite immediate medical intervention on-site, he was declared deceased. The assailant purportedly progressed to Zhongshan Station, one stop away, wielding a lengthy knife and indiscriminately stabbing pedestrians near the station and a nearby department store.
Local sources indicated that an individual was found unresponsive at the scene of Eslite Spectrum Nanxi store, while another sustained stab wounds while trying to subdue the attacker and is currently in critical condition at a hospital. Throughout the rampage, the assailant allegedly stabbed seven individuals, causing severe injuries to three of them.
Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai disclosed that three individuals experienced cardiac arrest during the incidents. He stated, “Regrettably, three individuals at the two locations are currently in a state of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and an additional five individuals have sustained injuries from stab wounds and blunt force trauma to various body parts.”
The suspected assailant is identified as a 27-year-old Taiwanese male. Local reports indicated that following the rampage, the attacker took his own life and was pronounced dead at the scene. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.