Law enforcement agencies are beefing up patrols on streets and on public transportation systems after a man allegedly attacked a police officer with a knife on Taipei’s MRT metropolitan railway system yesterday, while in a separate incident a landscape maintenance worker was reportedly slashed with a hacksaw in New Taipei City’s Shulin District (樹林).
Neither of the two men’s injuries are life-threatening.
While on a regular patrol, an MRT police officer surnamed Huang (黃) approached a man he said was acting strangely on the platform of Xinbeitou MRT Station at about 12:20pm, Beitou Police Precinct criminal investigation chief Hsieh Chih-hsin (謝志鑫) said.
As the officer was questioning the man, surnamed Chan (詹), 28, a train arrived and they both entered a carriage. Seconds later, Chan allegedly attacked the police officer from behind with a fruit knife, officials said.
In the ensuing tussle, Huang pulled Chan out of the still-open doors onto the platform, with Huang bleeding from cuts to his arm, buttocks and the back of his head.
The commotion ended when Chan was Tasered by security guards, who were at the station to collect money from vending machines, with other MRT staff also helping to end the struggle, officials said.
Police arrived and took Chan into custody at the Beitou Police Station, while the injured officer was transported to Taipei Veterans General Hospital for treatment, they said.
According to a hospital spokesman, the officer was in a stable condition, and had stitches in his right arm, back and head.
When Chan was asked why he had attacked the officer, he said: “Because I hate police,” Hsieh said.
Chan is unemployed and has no previous criminal record, but has a minor mental disability, Hsieh said.
In the other incident, a New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department worker, who was spraying pesticide along a street in Shulin District, was slashed on the wrist by an assailant with a hacksaw.
The assailant ran away, but was chased down by witnesses riding motorcycles. A 23-year-old man surnamed Yu (游) was later arrested by police.
Under questioning, Yu said: “Cockroaches have lives too. I want to save them,” according to police.
The worker was taken to Far Eastern Memorial Hospital (亞東醫院) in Banciao District (板橋) for treatment to a minor wound.
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