The Shihlin District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday sought an order for pretrial detention from the court for a 52-year-old man who on Saturday allegedly attacked a cheerleader for a professional Taiwanese baseball team.
The cheerleader, Wang Ching-wen (王敬汶), better known by her stage name, Wen Wen (汶汶), was transported to hospital, where she underwent surgery.
Wang, a member of the Passion Sisters cheerleading squad, was at a private photoshoot at a Taipei studio, an event that the suspect, surnamed Hsu (許), had signed up for more than a month earlier, police said yesterday following a preliminary investigation.
Photo: Liu Ching-ho, Taipei Times
Three photographers were injured in the altercation trying to disarm Hsu, the Taipei City Police Department’s Datong Precinct said.
Hsu initially refused to make a statement after his arrest, police said.
After a night in custody, he was quoted by police as saying yesterday that he had been upset over being blacklisted by several studio shoot organizers, and that he had recently been blocked by Wang on social media, which he said triggered his anger and led to the attack.
Photo: Screengrab from Wang’s Instagram
After questioning, Hsu was referred to the Shihlin District Prosecutors’ Office to be further investigated on suspicion of attempted murder and assault.
Police said Hsu began following Wang on social media around three to four years ago.
In addition to frequently messaging Wang via social media, Hsu is reported to have attended events and competitions in which Wang made an appearance.
In September last year, studio shoot organizers began to take note of Hsu’s “excessive enthusiasm,” and moved to block him from attending the events.
Wang’s management team under Dorian International Entertainment also reportedly blocked Hsu on Wang’s social media accounts due to safety concerns.
In the wake of the attack, the baseball team Wang cheers for, the CTBC Brothers which is a member of Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League, said private work has been banned for all members of the Passion Sisters cheerleading squad, and security would be tightened during baseball events.
In a joint statement, the CTBC Brothers and Dorian International Entertainment said they would fully cooperate with the authorities in the investigation of the incident.
According to local media reports, Hsu is unemployed and previously lived with his family in Taipei’s Daan District (大安). He is suspected of suffering from long-term obsessive-compulsive disorder, the reports said, adding that he has been repeatedly charged with shoplifting and has also shown signs of hoarding.
His parents reportedly had frequent disputes with him over his condition and eventually moved out of the home after reaching an impasse. Hsu has since been living alone at the property, with his retired father covering his living expenses.
Additional reporting by Lin Hsin-ying
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