The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day.
Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments.
The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan Station. The 27-year-old suspect, later identified as Chang Wen (張文), threw smoke grenades and randomly attacked people with a knife near the two metro hubs, killing three people before apparently jumping from a building to his death.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Lai said that to protect public safety, police rapid response units would increase their counterterrorism training, and deploy in crowded spaces and at large events.
The response times of law enforcement agencies at all levels are to be enhanced to facilitate rapid reaction to disturbances, he said.
Police are to establish a task force to investigate the incident, with particular attention to the attacker’s motives, whether he had accomplices and financial support, and the source of his equipment, Lai said.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Hospitals should be ready to provide long-term counseling for those affected by the incident, and honors should be conferred on the people who helped to contain the attack, he said, adding that he commended members of the public for their bravery in trying to stop the attacker.
“Your brave deeds were truly admirable,” Lai said.
Lai also visited injured victims, met with their families and offered his condolences to the bereaved families.
The government would ensure that compensation would be offered to victims and survivors of the attack, including the heroes who were killed or injured attempting to subdue the assailant, he said.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said the government would seek to improve preventive measures.
Security would be tightened on major railways and highways, in MRT and train stations, and at airports nationwide, with increased police presence and enhanced equipment, Cho said, adding that the measures would remain in place in the long term to improve confidence in public security.
He also urged the public not to spread unverified information and to remain calm, and asked for the government to be given “a little more time” as the investigation continues.
Additional reporting by Huang Tze-yang and CNA
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