Taipei subway smoke bomb attacks knife-wielding attacker, killing three

A knife-wielding attacker went on a rampage in Taiwan’s capital Taipei, killing at least three people and injuring five others.

Taiwan Prime Minister Tsao Ching-tai said the 27-year-old suspect detonated a smoke bomb at Taipei’s main subway station on Friday before running to another station in a busy shopping district, stabbing others along the way.

The suspect later died after falling from the building, Cho added. His motives are unclear.

Such attacks are rare in Taiwan, which has low violent crime rates. The last time a similar incident occurred in Taipei was more than ten years ago in 2014.

Friday’s attack occurred during the city’s evening rush hour. Videos shared on social media showed people fleeing the scene in panic.

Cao said the suspects detonated smoke and incendiary bombs at Taipei Main Station, which is connected to a busy underground shopping street.

One man reportedly tried to stop the attacker but was hit with a blunt object and later died in hospital.

The suspect then went to another subway station about 800m away, where he detonated more smoke bombs and stabbed more people.

Zhao said he had ordered enhanced security at subways, train stations and airports in response to the attack.

“We will investigate (the suspect’s) background and related relationships to understand his motives and determine whether there are other relevant factors,” Reuters quoted Cao as saying.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te also promised to launch a swift investigation.

The last major incident of this kind occurred in 2014, when a man killed four people on the Taipei subway, shocking the Taiwanese public. The perpetrators of that attack were executed two years later.