A stabbing attack inside and near two busy Taipei MRT stations on Friday evening shocked the nation and made headlines in many foreign and local news media, as such indiscriminate attacks are rare in Taiwan. Four people died, including the 27-year-old suspect, and 11 people sustained injuries.
At Taipei Main Station, the suspect threw smoke grenades near two exits and fatally stabbed one person who tried to stop him. He later made his way to Eslite Spectrum Nanxi department store near Zhongshan MRT Station, where he threw more smoke grenades and fatally stabbed a person on a scooter by the roadside. He then ran into the store and wounded others, before jumping from the building’s sixth floor, the National Police Agency said on Saturday.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the attack was premeditated, but his motive remains unclear, the agency said.
Following the incident, bystanders posted videos of the attack on social media, which were broadcast by news media. That sparked a wide discussion about the responses of bystanders — the photographers, or the people who stood by or walked past the suspect in the videos — as many said their reaction implied a “general lack of crisis awareness” among the public.
In a video taken in Taipei Main Station, when the suspect stabbed a man, another man walks by the suspect without pausing, while others continue on their way past a smoke grenade without stopping or fleeing and several people peek at the suspect from a nearby cafe only steps away.
Meanwhile, videos taken outside the department store show pedestrians walking by, not noticing or even pausing to look at the suspect throwing smoke grenades on the road.
Many comments on the videos showed concern about the general lack of situational awareness and effective emergency response, especially as few people were seen fleeing from danger and some even paused to take videos. Some people online attributed it to Taiwan’s good public security, which has led to complacency and a decline in emergency response readiness, while a few local media accused the government of inadequate warning and failing to boost “societal resilience.”
A person who said they were outside the department store posted a “self-reflection” online about how they thought it was a flash mob performance even after the suspect took out a knife, and only realized something was wrong when he began chasing people.
On the other hand, some said the comments showing those concerns were “victim blaming” and that they were being too harsh on the bystanders, whose view might have been blocked or who might have frozen due to the sudden overwhelming incident. Some added that the comments were made in hindsight, watching the videos from “God’s perspective.”
Many specialists, including doctors and mental health specialists, have spoken out about the issue, saying “freezing up” is normal when people perceive overwhelming danger and feel unable to fight or flee. They shared tips on how to avoid becoming traumatized and urged them to seek assistance. Emergency responders also offered personal safety tips for handling crisis situations, while academics urged people not to spread excessive and unconfirmed reports about the incident to prevent copycat crimes.
However, as indiscriminate attacks by lone actors are increasing globally, the shocking incident in Taipei underscored the pressing need to improve personal safety preparedness.
While the government and law enforcement focus on enhancing systematic detection and prevention of attacks and disasters, and share safety information with the public, such as through the National Public Safety Guide distributed this year, people also play a critical role in their own safety.
They should start by enhancing their situational awareness in normal life.
For example, specialists said people should minimize distractions in crowded or risky environments — such as by putting away phones and not using headphones — pay attention to what is “normal” in specific environments to more easily notice irregularities, and scan areas they visit for exits and potential obstacles to escape to form a habit of awareness.
Emergency responders and the US Department of Homeland Security recommend the “Run, Hide, Fight” strategy in mass casualty incidents, which prioritizes fleeing the area of risk, finding a place to hide if escape is not possible and fighting as the last resort.
Some suggest learning basic first aid, which could be vital before professional help arrives.
However, as there could be a gap between declarative knowledge (knowing what) and procedural knowledge (knowing how), real emergency response drills at different levels — nationwide civil defense disaster drills, workplace fire or disaster drills, community drills and having a household security plan — are equally important to building muscle memory for an effective response in actual emergencies. They should not be conveniently skipped.
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