Stabbing Spree on Taipei Metro Leaves Four Dead

On May 21, 2014, a young man boarded the west-bound train traveling from Longshan Temple Station to Jiangzicui Station in New Taipei City, Taiwan. During the ride, the man pulled out a knife and began stabbing random passengers without as much as saying a word. He left four dead and two dozen injured before finally being overpowered by police with the assistance of passengers.

He told the police later that doing it had “felt nice” and that he had planned on doing “something big” his entire life. He also stated that if his own parents had been on the train that day, he’d have killed them, too. He goes on in interrogation to beg for the death penalty. His parents condemn his actions and ask that he is given a swift death.

Sign of the times, eh? Random students these days just seem to snap at some point and go on a rampage, believing that they have the right to kill others solely for their own misfortunes. Nobody has the right to take another life. What makes them do this? Is it simple things building up over a period of time, or a single event that pushes one over the edge? You’re afraid to go anywhere anymore because everyone is so hostile. Makes me glad to be the hermit that I am.

The suspect was a 21 year old environmental engineering student at Tunghai University in Taichung (Taiwan’s third largest city) identified as Cheng Chieh. The stabbing was the first case of murder on Taiwan’s metro.

Video from inside the train shows people using umbrellas to ward off the attacker:

Here’s a gallery of a few photos: