Taiwan police cordoned off the scene after a knife assault in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Dec. 19. AP-Yonhap
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese authorities stated Saturday the suspect who killed three folks and injured 11 others in knife and smoke-grenade assaults within the island’s capital had deliberate the assaults and set fires at different places earlier within the day.
The suspect, recognized as a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen, fell to his demise from a division retailer constructing in Taipei after the assault on Friday.
The assaults shocked Taiwan, the place violent crime is uncommon, prompting authorities to step up safety at crowded spots and massive occasions, together with its New Yr’s Eve celebration that often attracts many locals and vacationers to an out of doors countdown.
Chang Jung-Hsin, director-general of the Nationwide Police Company, stated the suspect started a collection of assaults at 3:40 p.m. native time, first setting hearth to roads and inflicting harm to vehicles and motorbikes. He additionally set hearth to the place he lived.
The suspect later threw smoke grenades close to two exits of the Taipei Fundamental metro station and used a knife to fatally wound an individual, Chang stated. After the assault, the suspect took an underground path to return to the lodge the place he was staying. Then he threw extra smoke grenades and used his knife to kill one other individual exterior the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi division retailer, the official stated.
He additionally fatally wounded one other individual on the fourth ground of the division retailer constructing earlier than he jumped from the fifth ground to his demise, Chang stated.
The official stated the smoke grenades the assailant used may very well be bought on-line and that the suspect visited the websites earlier than the assault.
“The suspect deliberate an indiscriminate assault. He acted in accordance with his plan,” Chang stated, including the preliminary investigation didn’t discover that the suspect acted with anybody else.
Authorities had been nonetheless investigating his motive. Chang stated the suspect had voluntarily served within the army however was fired for drunk driving. The suspect was needed from July after failing to report back to army service, he added.
“The suspect hasn’t contacted his household for greater than two years,” Chang stated. “They stated the suspect has been interested by weapons and weapons since he was younger.”
Six injured folks had been nonetheless within the hospital. Two had been being handled in intensive care items, however their circumstances had been secure after surgical procedures, authorities stated.
After receiving briefings from officers, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te known as for an intensive investigation into the incident, trying into the suspect’s background, motives, monetary sources and whether or not he acquired assist from others.
Taiwan police cordoned off the scene after a knife assault in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday. AP-Yonhap
