Authorities yesterday said they have two suspects in custody after gunshots rang out at a candidate’s campaign office in Changhua County’s Yuanlin Township (員林) on Monday evening.
At least two shots were fired from a pistol allegedly carried by one of the suspects at the campaign office of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chuanghua County councilor candidate Tsao Chia-hao (曹嘉豪) when Tsao and his staff rushed out and fought with the two men after hearing calls for help from Tao’s father, 62-year-old KMT Changhua County Councilor Tsao Ming-cheng (曹明正), police said.
The police were called and they arrived in time to break up the scuffle and detained a 37-year-old surnamed Cheng (鄭) and a 41-year-old surnamed Chi (紀).
The police said they found one modified pistol, one shotgun, seven rounds of ammunition and seven home-made explosive devices in the suspects’ car and their backpacks, adding that both had criminal records.
The preliminary police report alleged that the two had planned to rob Tsao Ming-cheng, as they had made an appointment to meet up with him at the campaign office, believing he had plenty of money.
Upon arriving at the office, the police report said that the suspects approached Tsao Ming-cheng to demand money while Cheng brandished a pistol, after which Tsao Ming-cheng grabbed him and shouted for help.
As the case involved illegal firearms and explosives in an alleged assault on a politician at a candidate’s campaign office, police said they are investigating to determine whether it was case of robbery, or election violence relating to previous disputes with the Tsao family.
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