TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A man with a prior violent record released earlier this year injured three people, including two children, in a knife attack in Miaoli on Thursday.
The incident occurred about 500 meters from a local elementary school shortly after classes ended. Witnesses said the 48-year-old suspect, Chiu (邱), was behaving erratically while carrying a knife in nearby alleyways, per CNA.
Convenience store surveillance video showed children and parents gathered outside when Chiu approached, prompting bystanders to flee. He later returned to his residence while still armed.
Police used a stun gun to arrest Chiu at 4:35 p.m. He is under investigation on suspicion of attempted murder.
The most seriously injured victim was a sixth-grade girl with a stab wound to the left chest, causing blood and air to accumulate in the chest cavity. She was transferred to China Medical University Hospital for further care.
Another girl sustained a minor chest cut and a 3-centimeter laceration on her right elbow. A 50-year-old man was treated at Da Chien General Hospital for stab wounds to his right upper abdomen and back. All three are in stable condition.
Chiu has a prior record for a similar offense. In December 2015, after a dispute between his brother and a neighbor, he armed himself with scissors and attacked civilians at a convenience store when he could not locate the neighbor.
During that incident, a police officer was also stabbed but survived thanks to a bulletproof vest. Four people were injured in total, and Chiu was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison for attempted murder and assault.
