Knife Rampage in Taipei Leaves Several Dead and Dozens Injured as Attacker Dies

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

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Image Source: EPA/Shutterstock

A knife-wielding attacker unleashed a violent rampage in the Taiwanese capital on Friday evening, killing at least three people and injuring nine others before authorities say he died after falling from a multi-story building. The incident, which began with smoke bombs at Taipei’s main metro station and spread to a busy shopping district, stunned a city with historically low rates of violent crime.

Premier Cho Jung-tai confirmed that the assailant, a 27-year-old man identified by officials as Chang Wen, launched his attack during the city’s evening rush hour. According to authorities, the suspect carried out a series of violent acts across several locations, including detonation of smoke devices and Molotov cocktails near the city’s transit hubs. Video footage circulating online depicted panicked crowds fleeing through crowded streets as the attacker moved through traffic with a large knife in hand.

The sequence began at Taipei Main Station, where the suspect allegedly set off smoke bombs and then moved into a nearby underground shopping district. An individual attempted to intervene but was struck with a blunt object and later succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. The assailant then headed toward Zhongshan Station, roughly 800 meters away, before briefly retreating to a hotel to retrieve another weapon. He returned to the street outside Zhongshan Station to continue the assault, before entering a nearby bookstore and department store. The confrontation ended when police surrounding the attacker led him to another location where he fell from a building and died shortly afterward in hospital, officials said.

In response to the attack, authorities have pledged an expanded security posture at metro stations, rail hubs, and airports to prevent further incidents. Premier Cho noted that investigators would probe the assailant’s background and any possible ties to others to determine motives and potential connections to broader networks. President William Lai echoed the commitment to a swift, thorough inquiry.

Local media reports indicated the suspect had a prior criminal record and was sought by authorities, though official details about any possible motive remained unclear as the investigation continues. The city administration and security services are coordinating ongoing inquiries while communities process the shock of an event that marks a rare moment of violence for Taipei. The last major attack of this kind in the city occurred in 2014, underscoring the abruptness with which such incidents can disrupt daily life.