On the night of the 19th, a series of incidents involving smoke bombs and random stabbings occurred around Taipei MRT Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan Station. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the incident resulted in 15 people being sent to the hospital, including 4 deaths (including the suspect Zhang Wen), and 2 people are still in the intensive care unit.
On the evening of the 19th, 27-year-old Zhang Wen threw smoke bombs and attacked people with a knife near Taipei MRT Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan Station, causing deaths and injuries. Police immediately dispatched officers to apprehend him, but Zhang Wen fell from a building and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
On the 20th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare released the latest statistics. As of 6:25 a.m. that day, a total of 15 people had been sent to the hospital due to the MRT smoke bomb incident.
The Ministry stated that among them, 4 died and the remaining 11 were injured or sick. Currently, 6 people are still hospitalized, including 2 in the intensive care unit, 3 in general wards, and 1 under observation in the emergency department.
Zhang Wen Returned to Hotel for Weapons and Reoffended
The police have found that after the initial attack at Taipei Main Station, Zhang Wen briefly returned to a hotel near Zhongshan Station to get weapons before committing another attack.
Lu Junhong, Captain of the Criminal Police Brigade at the Taipei City Police Department, said at the Zhongzheng First Precinct that after committing the first assault in the underground passage of Taipei Main Station, Zhang Wen ran back to a hotel near Zhongshan Station underground street to get weapons. This took about 30 seconds, after which he ran out to the street near Zhongshan Station, randomly attacking people with weapons, and then rushed into a department store.
He said that after receiving reports, police officers were dispatched to the scene to apprehend the suspect. Zhang Wen later fell from the 6th floor of the department store and was pronounced dead after emergency medical treatment.
Searches of Rental and Family Residences
The police have searched Zhang Wen's rented residence in Zhongzheng District, Taipei, the hotel he stayed at near Zhongshan Station, and his family home in Taoyuan City, and interviewed family members to understand Zhang Wen's social connections and health status.
Lu Junhong stated that after reviewing surveillance footage, no accomplice has been found so far, but they will continue to investigate Zhang Wen's process and motive for the crime.
He said Zhang Wen stayed at the hotel for about 3 days. Review of surveillance footage shows that after committing the crime at Taipei Main Station, Zhang Wen returned to the hotel to retrieve knives and signal flares.