A random killing incident in Taipei on the evening of Dec. 19 left four people dead, including the suspect who fell to his death, and 11 others injured. Taiwan police held a press briefing on Dec. 21, revealing that the suspect, Zhang Wen, had been planning the attack since April 2024. Under the alias "Zhang Fengyan," he purchased various protective and offensive items, including gas masks, alcohol, smoke bombs, and tactical gloves.
The motive for the crime and whether he had accomplices remain under investigation.
Lu Junhong, representative from the Taipei City Police Department, stated that a task force has been established to investigate Zhang's motive, possible accomplices, and the sources of his tools. Investigations revealed that Zhang had used the alias to buy tactical gear such as industrial gloves, riot shields, and chemical-resistant masks since last year.
In January 2025, Zhang falsely claimed he was engaging in survival games and purchased a box of 24 smoke bombs from online shopping platforms like Shopee and Ruten. Each smoke bomb was priced at approximately NT$2,000 (around HK$500).
Since November 2025, Zhang had also procured highly flammable materials, including gasoline cans, gas cylinders, blowtorch lighters, and methanol, which he used to create homemade petrol bombs.
Lu further stated that investigations are ongoing into the origin of the knives used in the attack, financial transactions, the burned laptop, and surveillance footage. Starting Dec. 22, once financial institutions reopen, authorities will actively trace Zhang's monetary flow.
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