Three people were killed and nine injured after a 27-year-old man armed with a knife and a smoke device attacked pedestrians near Taipei Main Station and stabbed victims inside the Eslite department store during evening rush hour. The suspect, identified as Chang Wen, later fell from the sixth floor of the building and was pronounced dead. Authorities have ordered heightened security at transport hubs while investigators probe his background and motives.
Knife and Smoke Device Attack in Central Taipei Kills Three; Suspect Falls to His Death
An ambulance stands outside Eslite Spectrum Nanxi store near Zhongshan station, following an incident in which several were killed and injured after a person released smoke bombs and attacked bystanders, according to the government and local media, in Taipei, Taiwan, December 19, 2025. / Credit: Ann Wang / REUTERS
A man armed with a knife and a smoke device launched an indiscriminate attack in central Taipei on Friday evening, killing three people and wounding nine others, officials said. The suspect later fell from the sixth floor of a department store building and was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to the Central News Agency.
What happened: Authorities identified the suspect as 27-year-old Chang Wen. Local reports say he first threw a smoke grenade near an underground exit of Taipei Main Station — the city's primary rail hub — sending commuters fleeing. He then walked north into a busy shopping district and attacked people inside the Eslite department store, stabbing victims on the first and fourth floors, reportedly with neck wounds.
Videos shared on social media and eyewitness accounts described scenes of panic during the evening rush hour as people ran from the area. Local hospitals confirmed three fatalities and said nine people were hospitalized, one with serious injuries. Officials also reported one victim arrived at hospital already in cardiac arrest after falling during the attack, and another sustained respiratory problems from the smoke device.
Official response: Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai said he ordered heightened security at metro and railway stations as well as airports while investigators probe the suspect's background and possible motives. Reuters quoted Cho:
“We will investigate [the suspect's] background and associated relationships to understand his motives and determine if there are other connected factors.”
Prosecutors told the Central News Agency that Chang had failed to report for reserve military training in November 2024 and was wanted for violating rules on mandatory service; they said a change in his household registration may have prevented delivery of a reserve summons.
Context: BBC News noted the last attack of similar scale in Taipei occurred in 2014, when an assailant killed four people on an underground train; that perpetrator was later executed.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities said they will release further details as they are confirmed.
