A scooter gang viciously attacked and injured 12 teenagers -- three critically -- while on a violent joyride in Taipei County's Tucheng (土城) City early yesterday morning, police said.
The gang of more than 20 scooter-riding thugs, who brandished large knives and baseball bats, went after most of their hapless victims as they were barbecuing for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Four teens have been taken into custody in connection with the attacks.
"Police identified some of the criminals by their scooter plate numbers and arrested four teenagers in the afternoon," said director of Tucheng Police Bureau Chang Fu-chong (
PHOTO: LIN CHUN-HUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Chang said police attempted to find other suspects at their Tucheng City homes, but their families claimed they had not returned home since the time of the attacks.
The attacks occurred around 1am yesterday at parks, a gas station, in front of houses and near schools in Tucheng City as the gang rode around spreading mayhem. The three critically wounded victims suffered serious brain injuries, and others were wounded on their arms, hands and faces.
Family members of victims who gathered at a hospital yesterday condemned the assailant's cruel attacks to reporters. One victim's mother said her son's hand was almost severed by the slashing bullies.
According to victims who were enjoying the holiday by barbecuing in a park, the gang members suddenly stopped their scooters and rushed after them with knives and a baseball bat. The victims heard the criminals say, "We hit the wrong person," before they left.
Another victim told police he and his friends were barbecuing in front of a scooter-repair shop, when the gang rushed in, slashed them with knives and wrecked the shop.
Police said the perpetrators sped their scooters toward Sanshia (三峽) Township, a mountainous area of the county, after their violent spree.
Police patrols were increased for last night's Mid-Autumn Festival.
Scooter gangs have been rampant in Taiwan for years. They are notorious for violently attacking victims at random, instilling such fear that residents in some areas now avoid taking to the streets late at night.
Police have called on parents to pay more attention to their teens' behavior and to intervene if they suspect they might be a part of a scooter gang.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source