Taiwan ramps up security measures for coming holidays after deadly stabbings
Tighter police deployments at transport hubs and major events ordered after deadly violence in central Taipei stokes public anxiety
The island’s Ministry of the Interior and National Police Agency (NPA) ordered tighter deployments at transport hubs and major events, increased monitoring of online threats and accelerated reviews of police resources and command procedures.
Announced in separate statements on Tuesday, the measures came after last week’s violence triggered a surge in public anxiety and a rash of threatening and copycat posts on social media.
Police said Chang began his rampage at about 3.40pm, setting fires along roads and damaging cars and motorbikes before torching the flat where he lived. About an hour later, he used smoke devices to create confusion near two exits of Taipei Main Station and carried out knife attacks in crowded public areas inside the station and a nearby department store.
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Three people were killed and 11 injured, police said. Chang later died after falling from a building. Prosecutors said they were investigating the motive behind his indiscriminate violence.