4 Dead, 9 Injured After Knife-Wielding Maniac Goes on Rampage in Packed Train Stations

Taipei turned into a nightmare Friday night when a knife-wielding madman armed with smoke bombs launched a horrifying rampage through two bustling train stations — killing four people and injuring nine in what officials are calling one of the most shocking attacks in modern Taiwanese history.

Commuters ran for their lives as the attacker, identified as 27-year-old Chang Wen, filled Taipei Main Station with smoke and screams, then sprinted to another stop and stabbed innocent victims at random inside a shopping complex.

“It was total chaos,” recalled witness Liu Pei-han, who fled through the haze. “People were crying, falling, grabbing strangers. It felt like a war zone.”

The horror began just before rush hour. According to police, Chang detonated homemade smoke grenades, sowing confusion and terror among evening commuters. Within minutes, he was seen wielding a long knife and slashing passengers as the air filled with choking gray smoke.

“He planned it — he wanted to cause panic,” said Chang Jung-Hsin, Taiwan’s top police official. “He threw bombs, stabbed randomly, and didn’t care who got hurt.”

Authorities say Chang wasn’t finished. He fled to Zhongshan Station, one of the city’s busiest shopping districts, where terrified shoppers watched him plunge his blade into anyone in reach before disappearing into the crowd.
Moments later, after a police chase through nearby alleys, he leapt to his death from a multi-story building.

“He was like a ghost in the smoke — you couldn’t see until he was right there,” said another commuter who escaped with minor injuries.

By nightfall, four people were confirmed dead, including the attacker. Nine others were rushed to local hospitals with stab wounds and head trauma, some in critical condition.

Premier Cho Jung-tai vowed full government support for victims and their families, saying, “We will not tolerate acts meant to terrorize the public.”
He ordered increased police patrols nationwide, with heavily armed officers now stationed at every major metro stop across Taiwan.

In an emotional statement, President Lai Ching-te called the assault “an unimaginable act of violence” and praised the civilians who intervened to protect others.

“I thank the heroes who risked their lives to stop more bloodshed,” Lai said. “We will uncover every detail — who he was, why he did this, and whether he acted alone.”

Taipei, known as one of Asia’s safest capitals, is now reeling from the trauma. Social media flooded with raw videos showing smoke billowing through station tunnels and panicked commuters covered in blood and soot.

One viral clip showed a man dragging an injured woman to safety while alarms wailed in the background — a haunting image of courage amid chaos.

Police confirmed that Chang had set fires near his home before the attack, suggesting days of preparation. Investigators are now digging into his background and digital footprint for signs of radicalization or mental illness.

“This was cold, calculated, and designed to terrify,” said Mayor Jiang Wan’an, who toured the scene hours later. “But Taipei will not be broken.”

As forensic teams scrubbed blood from the tiled floors Saturday morning, commuters returned — shaken but defiant. One woman laid flowers by the entrance gate. “I take this train every day,” she whispered. “It could have been any of us.”