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Catherine Wong

The “mentally unstable” Taiwanese man who beheaded a four-year old girl in Taipei on Monday reportedly has a history of violence.
Wang Ching-yu, 33, allegedly cut off the head of the girl in Neihu, eastern Taipei, with a kitchen knife on Monday morning.
‘Mentally unstable’ Taiwanese man beheads girl, 4, in Taipei
Eastern Broadcasting quoted the suspect’s father, originally from southwest China’s Sichuan province, as saying that his only son was mentally unstable and had once been treated in hospital.
Wang had reportedly been fantasising since 2006 that killing a person from Sichuan province would help him carry on his ancestral line, police were quoted by Taiwan’s Apple Daily as saying.
The thought reportedly returned to Wang at about 5am on Monday.
Policeman severely injured after metro stabbing, cleaner hurt in two new attacks in Taiwan
He then bought a kitchen knife at about 9am and started waiting around the area where he would soon carry out his plan.
He attacked the girl and cut off her head at about 11am, reports said.
United Daily News reported that the suspect killed the girl because he thought she was from Sichuan.
The girl’s mother said she had been walking only about a metre behind her daughter, who was riding a bicycle, as they headed to a metro station to meet relatives at the time she was attacked.
The suspect was later wrestled to the ground by passers-by before police arrived
On Tuesday, the mother of the dead girl and other members of her family returned to the crime scene to mourn the child.
This is the third case of a random killing in Taiwan in five years.
Last May, Kung Chung-an, a 29 year-old man, slashed the throat of an eight-year old girl.
In December 2012, unemployed Tseng Wen-chin, then 29, murdered a 10-year-old boy in Tainan and allegedly claimed to have killed the child because he wanted to be jailed.
Both Kung and Tseng escaped the death penalty and received life sentences after they were diagnosed with mental problems.
It is unclear whether Wang, who is under detention, had acted under the influence of drugs or because of his mental condition.
He was found to have bruises on several parts of his body, which he said were sustained after an angry crowd attacked him while he was being escorted by police to the police station.
The unemployed suspect was reportedly forced to undergo treatment two years ago after attacking his mother, following another attack on a community security officer with a knife, Apple Daily reported. He was also arrested for taking drugs in 2006.
Wang is not listed as being mentally impaired by the Taiwanese government.
According to regulations in Taiwan, people listed as being disabled are rated according to their level of seriousness and entitled to social benefits such as subsidies and vocational training.
People suffering from schizophrenia may not be listed as disabled, and it all depends on the evaluation they are given by psychiatrists.
During a search of Wang’s home, police found 29 notebooks with detailed records of his daily life and notes about the history of ancient emperors, such as Emperor Qin Shihuang, founder of the Yuan dynasty, Kublai Khan and the Empress Dowager Cixi during the Qing dynasty.
Wang also claimed that he was Emperor Yao, the first Chinese emperor in history, United Daily News reported.
He also wrote his own name in between the lines of his history notes. Words like “to rape and kill” appeared to have been written all over his notebooks, according to the report.
Wang’s father said the suspect stayed at home most of the time and had been unemployed for many years.
The case has sent shock waves throughout Taiwanese society, with political parties and activists calling for a review of the death penalty law.
The legislative Yuan will hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss and review a constitutional amendment request from lawmakers that people convicted of killing a child under the age of 12 cannot be bailed and should receive a death penalty or life imprisonment.
The death penalty is the most severe punishment for anyone found guilty of murder in Taiwan.
But activist group White Rose Social Care Association says the law has not been strictly implemented in similar cases in the past. The group also argued that mental illness should not be considered a reason for escaping the death penalty.
The association will stage a protest on April 10 to call for stricter enforcement of the law involving cases of drug use and murder.


‘Mentally unstable’ Taiwanese suspect who beheaded girl, 4, had history of violence: reports

<p>Mother of child returns to scene of killing to pay tearful tribute as political parties, activists call for review of death penalty law</p>

The suspect, Wang Ching-yu, 33, is escorted by police after the gruesome incident that took place in Taipei’s Neihu district in Taiwan on Monday. Photo: SCMP Pictures

No Caption Available.

Policeman severely wounded after metro stabbing, cleaner hurt in two new attacks in Taiwan

‘Mentally unstable’ Taiwanese man beheads girl, 4, in Taipei

<p>The man had approached the child as she was riding her bicycle, with her mother walking behind</p>

Forensic police officers inspect the crime scene where the 4-year old girl was killed in Taipei’s Neihu district in Taiwan on Monday. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Knifeman who stabbed four to death on Taipei subway had 'planned attack for years' 

Police blockade the scene of a stabbing incident at the Jiangzicui Station of the Taipei Metro. Photo: AFP

The aftermath of the attack on the train in Taipei, with blood and passengers' discarded luggage lying on the floor. Photo: CNA

Officials block areas where a knife attack occurred on a subway platform as passengers watch from the floor above in Taipei. Photo: AP

Police blockade the platforms from commuters. Photo: AFP

A view of the crime scene from above the platform. Photo: AFP

A police officer takes photos for evidence at the scene of the crime at Jiangzicui Station. Photo: AFP 

Three people were killed and several injured when a man stabbed people at random on a subway train in Taipei. Photo: CNA

Suspect after attack. Photo: SCMP

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Mother of child returns to scene of killing to pay tearful tribute as political parties, activists call for review of death penalty law
