Suspect who shot man in front of Yilan Prison arrested in Miaoli

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) A suspect wanted for kidnapping and shooting a man in front of Yilan Prison was arrested late Sunday after police pursued him into an orchard in the mountains of Miaoli County.

According to the Yilan County Police Bureau, the case stems from a fight that broke out between two men, surnamed Lan (藍) and Kang (康), at around 11 p.m. on Jan. 9 near Lanyang Power Plant in Yilan's Sansing Township.

During the altercation, Lan called two friends for help -- one of whom, surnamed Chien (簡), arrived in his car with another man, surnamed Lee (李), not long after, police said.

After pulling up in his car, Chien brandished a handgun, which he fired in the air while threatening Kang. Together with Lee, he then dragged Kang into his vehicle and drove off, police said.

As Chien was driving past Yilan Prison, about 7 kilometers to the east, Kang tried to escape and as he leapt from the vehicle, Chien fired a shot, hitting Kang in the buttocks.

Chien fled the scene immediately after the shooting, while Kang was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The Yilan Police Bureau's Sansing Precinct said it launched an investigation soon after the shooting was reported, and by Sunday night had tracked Chien to a mountainous area in Miaoli's Dahu Township.

After surrounding the area, police officers first found and arrested a man, surnamed Chang (張), who they suspected of sheltering Chien and also had an outstanding warrant in a drug-related case.

After finding a small shed with a lit stove inside, police assessed that Chien had fled on foot and was probably still nearby.

As they continued their search, police officers found Chien hiding in the irrigation ditch of an orchard. The officers seized his gun and an unspecified quantity of drugs as they took him into custody.

Police said Chien and four other suspects in the case were turned over to Yilan prosecutors Monday on suspicion of crimes including attempted murder, offenses against personal liberty, illegal gun possession and violations of the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act.

The Yilan District Court approved a request by prosecutors to hold Chien in incommunicado detention as the investigation continues, the bureau said.

(By Wang Chao-yu and Matthew Mazzetta) Enditen/AW