Three people were killed and five others injured on Friday after a knife-wielding attacker carried out a series of attacks in central Taipei, authorities said.
The suspect later died during a police pursuit after falling from a building, Taiwan’s Premier, Cho Jung-tai, confirmed.
According to Cho, the attacker first released smoke bombs at Taipei’s main train station before fleeing to a nearby subway station in a busy shopping district, where he stabbed several people along his route.
Police said the suspect, identified only by his surname Chang, had a prior criminal record and outstanding arrest warrants. His residence has since been searched as part of ongoing investigations.
Violent crime is rare in Taiwan.
Authorities also revealed that the suspect may have been carrying additional weapons, including petrol bombs, which appeared to have been burned at the scene. He was reportedly wearing what looked like body armour and a mask during the attack.
“We will investigate his background and associated relationships to understand his motives and determine whether there are other connected factors,” Cho told reporters.
“It appears he deliberately threw smoke bombs and wielded a long knife to carry out indiscriminate attacks on members of the public,” the premier added.