• A knife and smoke grenade attack in Taipei resulted in three deaths and eleven injuries.
• Police have confirmed that the assailant acted alone and had planned the attacks in advance.
• The suspect, 27-year-old Chang Wen, died after falling from a building while trying to escape police.
• Authorities are increasing security measures across Taiwan in response to the incident.

On December 20, a series of violent attacks in Taipei left three people dead and eleven others injured. The assailant, identified as 27-year-old Chang Wen, commenced the assaults by igniting fires in various locations before targeting victims at Taipei Main Station and nearby malls. Following his attack, Chang fell to his death while fleeing from police, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and Los Angeles Times.

According to police investigations, Chang planned his actions meticulously, initiating attacks by setting fire to motorcycles and cars at approximately 3:40 PM before heading to heavily populated locations. He deployed smoke bombs and brandished a knife, attacking individuals indiscriminately, which shocked the public in a region where violent crime is rare, as noted by authorities in their assessments reported by Channel News Asia and Reuters.

The police confirmed that Chang acted alone, with no evidence suggesting he had accomplices. He was previously wanted for evading military service and had a criminal background that included alcohol-related issues, as discussed by Reuters and highlighted further by Los Angeles Times.

In the wake of the attack, Taiwanese officials, including President Lai Ching-te, expressed their condolences and urgency for strengthened security measures across the island. Authorities have committed to increasing police presence in public areas, particularly ahead of upcoming events, as noted in the statements released by officials reported by Channel News Asia and Reuters.