Man arrested over Tainan Fishermen's Association chair's murder (update)

Tainan, July 12 (CNA) A man allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of Tainan Fishermen's Association chair Lin Shih-chieh (林士傑) has been arrested in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, with his connection to the case pending further clarification.

At a press conference held in Tainan Friday night, Jhang Wun-yuan (張文源), commander of the Tainan City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Corps, said the suspect, surnamed Chang (張), is being detained at the city's Sixth Precinct awaiting interrogation slated for Saturday.

Police are unable to confirm if Chang is the gunman at this point, he noted.

A police task force launched a raid in Kaohsiung's Renwu and Nanzih districts earlier Friday and arrested Chang sometime around 5 p.m. at a place believed to be his residence, before bringing him back to the Sixth Precinct, Jhang told reporters at 9 p.m.

The commander said over 30 personnel were involved in the raid, and they do not exclude the possibility that Chang had other accomplices.

Lin, 53, was shot multiple times at close range by a masked gunman outside his home on Sinle Road in Tainan's South District at around 5:45 a.m. Monday.

According to police, the gunman fled the scene on foot before driving off in a vehicle to a public parking lot on Sinjian Road in Tainan's South District.

The suspect then reportedly changed his outfit and set fire to the car in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence, including two pistols he left in the vehicle.

From there, he drove a second car to Dashu District in Kaohsiung before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on a scooter in the direction of Pingtung County. The car's steering wheel, seats, and door handles were found splashed with acid, according to police.

Jhang said earlier Friday that the crime was premeditated and that the gunman may not have been operating alone.

Lin was appointed to head the Tainan Agricultural Marketing Co. by Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) after he was first elected to the post in 2018. He was also the father of Tainan City Councilor Lin Yi-ting (林依婷), a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.