Taipei attacker mainly financed by mother: police

Taipei, Dec. 23 (CNA) The primary source of income for a man who killed at least three people and left 11 injured in attacks in downtown Taipei on Friday was his mother, the Taipei City Police Department said Tuesday.

Since the incidents, police have said the perpetrator -- 27-year-old Chang Wen (張文) -- was unemployed and isolated from most human contact in the months leading up to his actions, leading to questions about how he supported himself and buy the weapons and tools used in his attacks.

Lu Chun-hung (盧俊宏), head of the department's Criminal Investigation Division, said at a press briefing that records from Chang's postal savings account showed his mother had sent him quarterly remittances of between NT$30,000 (US$951) and NT$60,000.

She also gave him a lump-sum transfer of NT$450,000 in March 2023, bringing the total to about NT$820,000 from March 2023 to the present, according to Lu.

• Taipei mass stabber began purchasing supplies for attack in 2024: Police

Chang's last known job was as a security guard, which he left in August 2023.

He had nearly depleted his finances before his death, leaving only NT$39 in his postal savings account, Lu said.

The equipment, tools, knives and weapons were all purchased from online shopping platforms, with police confiscating a total of 13 knives, including three long knives priced at NT$2,300-NT$2,700 apiece and 10 short knives priced around NT$600 apiece, Lu said.

Behind money transfers, one of Chang's mobile phones had an overdue fee of NT$2,000 and was used mainly for internet access, police said, while his other phone had been disconnected since October 2024 and only showed records of communications with his landlord about paying rent, according to police.

In searching for further evidence to explain Chang's actions and motives, the police have also commissioned a U.S. company to help decode the two tablet devices Chang used to plan the assault, and forensics are decoding the hard drive from Chang's laptop, which he had burned.

• Police seize suspect's laptop, old cellphone after Taipei stabbing spree

On Friday, Chang first threw smoke grenades in the MRT Taipei Main Station at around 5 p.m. that evening, before changing and heading to MRT Zhongshan Station, where he set off more smoke grenades and indiscriminately stabbed passersby.

After being pursued by police, Chang fell to his death from the roof of the six-story Eslite Spectrum Nanxi department store near the MRT Zhongshan Station.

According to police, surveillance footage showed that Chang acted alone.

The day before the attack, he went to the fifth floor of the Eslite Spectrum to scout certain locations, and he asked for access to the roof, claiming he wanted to photograph the Christmas tree across from the building. His request was denied.

The investigation's results confirmed the police's belief that Chang meticulously planned the attack, the police said.

• Taipei mass stabbing likely 'lone wolf' attack: Police

Lu asked for help in the case from the general public, saying that anyone who has any relevant information, including about Chang's tools, contacts, finances or part-time jobs, should call 110 or the dedicated line 02-23817263.

Meanwhile, Liao Lo-yu (廖洛宇), captain of the Taipei City Police Department's Rapid Transit Division, addressed concerns about gaps in the deployment of police patrols that were exposed in the attacks.

Liao said the division is responsible for security at 117 stations across Taipei and New Taipei, with a force of 203 officers, including 168 assigned to field duty. Given the manpower constraints, officers are deployed using staggered, interlaced arrangements.

He said the division will continue to review and refine its duty deployments to address potential gaps.