3 Killed in Taiwan Metro Knife Attack

A man armed with a knife threw smoke grenades and attacked people in Taiwan’s capital on Friday evening, killing at least three and injuring nine others.

After the assault, the suspect jumped from the sixth floor of a department store and later died in hospital from his injuries.

Police identified the attacker as 27-year-old Chan Wen.

Media reports say he first tossed smoke grenades near an underground exit at Taipei Main Station, then began randomly slashing people with a sharp weapon.

He later moved to a busy shopping area, where he released more smoke grenades and stabbed several victims in the neck on the first and fourth floors of a department store.

Investigators said the suspect used underground walkways to reach a hotel, where he picked up what police described as a lethal weapon, before heading back toward the metro station and nearby shops.

Authorities said there is no evidence so far that he had any accomplices, and they are still working to determine a motive.

Police also reported finding additional weapons at the suspect’s rental home and in a Zhongshan hotel room, where he had stayed for three nights.

Video footage showed the suspect dressed in black and wearing a gas mask as he dropped at least two smoke grenades at the metro station before attacking passersby inside a department store.

According to the city government, three people were killed in the attack and nine others were taken to hospital, including one person who remains in serious condition.

Chiang Wan-an told local media that a 57-year-old man tried to stop the suspect at a metro station exit but was fatally injured during the confrontation.

A metro station employee was also taken to hospital after breathing in heavy smoke while responding to the incident.

Another victim later died after being attacked near the department store.

One woman who survived the attack said she was struck by the suspect outside the department store as she waited for her daughter, whom she had planned to meet for dinner.

She said that when she turned around, she saw several people lying on the ground and bleeding.

According to the news agency, Chang had failed to report for reserve military training in November 2024 and was wanted for violating Taiwan’s mandatory military service law.