Sources: All Taipei Newspapers

 

May 22, 2014

 

An unprecedented, indiscriminate killing spree took place in the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) yesterday.  Cheng Chieh (鄭捷), a college sophomore from Tunghai University,  used a 30-centimeter long knife to stab passengers randomly while riding on an MRT train from Longshan Temple Station (龍山寺站) to Jiangzicui Station (江子翠站) yesterday afternoon.   In less than five minutes, four passengers lost their lives and 21 others were injured.  Cheng Chieh was subdued by Metro police with the help of other passengers after disembarking from the subway train.  When Cheng was arrested, he said that he had always wanted to “do something big” since he was a child, adding that he hoped to be given the death penalty.

 

The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office immediately assigned prosecutor Chen Poh-chun (陳伯均) to investigate the case, and three other prosecutors were standing by.   At 8:00 p.m. last night, the prosecutors met the coroner at the crime scene to hear the coroner’s initial report on the causes of death of the victims and instructed the police to inform the Taipei MRT not to cleanse or wash the train to preserve the evidence.

 

Presidential Office spokeswoman Ma Wei-kuo (馬瑋國) stated that President Ma Ying-jeou was shocked and saddened over the tragic incident, and called on the Executive Yuan to instruct the National Police Agency to get to the bottom of the case and assist the victims and their family members.  Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群), the Executive Yuan spokesperson, stated that Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) had called on the National Police Agency to determine the assailant’s motives and instructed the Interior Ministry and Ministry of Transportation and Communications to strengthen the security of public transportation.  Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) stated that Taipei City Hall would do its utmost to provide assistance to ensure that the injured victims receive top-notch medical treatment and  psychological counseling and to ensure that they as well as the families of the deceased are protected by insurance coverage.