Man killed trying to stop random knife attacker: Taipei mayor

Taipei, Dec. 20 (CNA) A man who died after a random stabbing spree near two of Taipei's busiest metro stations on Friday tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect before his death, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said.

The 57-year-old man encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of MRT Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang told reporters, calling the incident "heartbreaking."

The fatal wound was a penetrating injury about 5 centimeters in length caused by a sharp object that reached from the right lung to the left atrium, National Taiwan University Hospital said.

Following the attack, Chiang said he convened an emergency security task force and ordered the police department and other agencies to step up citywide security alerts and inspections, and to increase police visibility and patrols at railway stations, MRT stations, commercial districts and other crowded areas.

The attack unfolded in the early evening around MRT Taipei Main Station's M7 exit and later near MRT Zhongshan Station. The 27-year-old suspect, Chang Wen (張文), threw smoke grenades and randomly attacked people with a knife near the two metro hubs, killing three people and injuring six others before apparently jumping from a building to his death.

After stabbing people at MRT Taipei Main Station, Chang headed north to the area outside Eslite Spectrum Nanxi near MRT Zhongshan Station and stabbed multiple people on the first and fourth floors of the department store, primarily in the neck, according to Taipei police.

The suspect reportedly jumped from the sixth floor of Eslite Spectrum Nanxi and suffered cardiac arrest. He was rushed to Cathay General Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:42 p.m., authorities said.

According to a woman who was inside the Eslite store, she saw the suspect wielding a long knife and stabbing people, and immediately helped a terrified woman who had fallen while trying to flee. The two later broke down in tears, she said.

Another witness surnamed Chen told CNA that he saw injured people surrounded by bystanders as emergency crews rushed in.

"It was complete confusion. People were just standing there in shock," Chen said.

The Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office said the suspect failed to report a change of household registration, preventing delivery of his reserve military service summons. He was scheduled to report for training on Nov. 25 last year, and an arrest warrant was issued on July 11 for violating military service regulations.

Police are investigating possible motives for the stabbing spree.