TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 20-year-old university student was fatally stabbed by her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend on Tuesday morning in Taichung.

According to surveillance footage from the area, the victim, surnamed Yen (顏), was talking with a person wearing a helmet when he suddenly attacked her with a knife. Preliminary examinations indicate that Yen suffered multiple stab wounds to her head, neck, and limbs, according to CNA.

Following the attack, the suspect briefly returned to the scene to check on Yen before fleeing. Police said he initially escaped on an unregistered scooter and later switched vehicles and changed clothing in an effort to evade capture.

Authorities pursued the suspect through Miaoli and Changhua counties, ultimately arresting him in Changhua around 3 p.m. He has been brought in for questioning regarding the motive and was later transferred to the Taichung District Court’s Juvenile Court on suspicion of homicide.

A CT scan is scheduled for Wednesday, while a post-mortem examination will be conducted on Thursday to determine the cause of death.

Yen, a first-year university student, had just started college less than a week before the incident. The university expressed sorrow over her death, stating it is providing full support to her family and offering counseling resources to classmates affected by the incident.

Under Taiwan’s Criminal Code, homicide cases involving offenders under 18 are treated as juvenile criminal cases. Minors cannot be sentenced to death or life, so their sentences are usually reduced.

After completing their sentence, juveniles may undergo correctional education, and the conviction is generally cleared from their record.