Chiayi County authorities have taken a suspect into custody after a five-hour hostage situation ended yesterday afternoon, with police reportedly uncovering a small arsenal of firearms and explosives at the suspect’s home.
After conducting a search of the home of the suspect, surnamed Chen (陳), Chiayi police said they confiscated two assault rifles, 11 handguns, one hand grenade, 20 homemade explosive devices, and a cache of ammunition.
A specialized police unit was called to deal with an apparent hostage incident yesterday morning, after shots and explosions rang out, alarming residents in Chiayi’s Minsyong Township (民雄).
“The suspect had taken a man surnamed Wu (吳) hostage, who was living in another apartment in the building. Wu managed to run away after about half an hour, but had injuries on his feet when he fled outside,” a police captain surnamed Chang (張) from the Minsyong Police Precinct said.
Police surrounded the area, but Chen refused to surrender for five hours, firing shots and detonating homemade explosive devices intermittently, Chang said.
Police brought an old friend of Chen’s to the scene to encourage him to surrender, while Chang negotiated with him on the telephone.
Chen later allowed Chang to enter the building and gave up one assault rifle and five handguns.
He agreed to surrender at about 1:20pm, and exited his home carrying no firearms.
Chang said that the suspect had fired more than 30 bullets, while no shot was fired by police.
Police said they were surprised at the amount of firearms and explosives found inside Chen’s apartment, adding that they were glad Chen surrendered, ending the incident peacefully.
Chen had served a 13-year sentence for attempted murder and possession illegal firearms.
In January, he allegedly fired more than 50 rounds near a pawnshop in Changhua County’s Siushui Township (秀水), due to a financial dispute.
Separately yesterday, Pingtung City police said they raided an underground factory, which was found to have been producing modified handguns and ammunition, and have taken a man into custody.
Officials told reporters that the suspect allegedly ran the factory, where one modified 9mm handgun and a large amount of bullets were seized.
The suspect allegedly took orders from clients, and modified airsoft guns to make 9mm handguns.
He reportedly charged NT$30,000 for each order.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
RSS