The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Chang Wen, carried out a multi-stage knife-and-grenade attack in Taipei that killed three people and injured 11. Police say Chang planned the assault for roughly a year and a half, buying smoke grenades, gas canisters and respirators beginning in April 2024. During the rampage he changed clothing and transport, set fires and damaged vehicles before falling from a department store's fifth floor while being chased by police. Authorities are still investigating his motive; he had been wanted since July for failing to report for military service.
Taipei Knife-and-Grenade Attack Was Elaborate, Police Say Suspect Planned Assault For Over a Year
Taiwan police cordoned off the scene after a knife attack in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
Police in Taipei say the attacker who killed three people and wounded 11 in a multi-stage knife-and-grenade assault had meticulously planned the assault for more than a year and a half.
What Happened
The attacker, identified by authorities as 27-year-old Chang Wen, moved through public spaces on Friday, stabbing random passers-by and deploying smoke grenades at a Taipei metro station and on nearby streets before entering a department store. While being pursued by police inside the store, he fell from the fifth floor and died.
Police Findings
Investigators say the assault unfolded in several phases. Chang repeatedly changed his clothing and switched modes of transport—from a scooter to a bicycle and then on foot—during the rampage. He also set fire to his apartment and to sections of road, and caused damage to cars and motorbikes.
“He was extremely cunning,” Taipei Police Chief Li Hsi-Ho said at a news conference.
Li told reporters that officers believe the suspect began preparing for the attack in April 2024, acquiring smoke grenades, gas canisters, respirators and other equipment. "He had been planning the crime for a year and a half, and his motive for the crime also began a year and a half ago," Li said.
Background And Ongoing Investigation
Authorities said they are continuing to investigate the suspect's motive. They noted Chang had been wanted since July for failing to report for mandatory military service. He had previously served voluntarily in the military but was dismissed after a drunken driving incident, officials said. Investigators also reported that he had not contacted his family for more than two years.
Five of the injured remained hospitalized; one was in intensive care but was reported stable after surgery, authorities said. The attacks have shaken Taiwan—where violent crime is relatively uncommon—and prompted officials to step up security at crowded venues and large public events.
Mistreanu reported from Beijing. Source: The Associated Press.
