AT least three people have been killed after a suspect tossed smoke bombs and went on a stabbing rampage before jumping off the roof.
Terrifying footage shows the moment the suspect throws hand grenades before pulling a huge blade out of a rucksack and stabbing people.
Filmed by a bystander, the man was seen dressed in all black and kneeling in the middle of a pedestrian crossing, organising himself before setting off on the horrific rampage.
Three of the man’s victims suffered a cardiac arrest, according to Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai.
He reported that a suspect had fallen off a building and was also in a state of cardiac arrest. The motive was not immediately clear.
“Unfortunately, three people in the two locations are currently in a state of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and another five people have suffered injuries from stab wounds and blunt force trauma to various parts of their bodies,” Cho said.
The death toll includes the suspect who fell off the roof of a building.
Horror footage shows the attacker walking calmly through traffic before randomly lunging at people, slashing the knife through the air.
The man then ran into a department store, causing shoppers to flee in terror as his alleged attack continued.
He later threw smoke grenades at the Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan Subway Station, according to the reports.
Witnesses described hearing several muffled explosions at the station exit, followed by a rapid spread of thick, orange-white smoke.
He then rode the subway one stop, exited the station and threw more smoke grenades on the street before pulling out a knife and stabbing passersby, according to footage carried by broadcaster EBC.
One person was found unresponsive at the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi store scene, local media have reported.
One person was brutally stabbed when he rushed to tackle the attacker, tossing the smoke bombs.
The man suffered a deep stab wound to his left arm, resulting in extensive bleeding.
He then collapsed, and his condition was extremely critical, SETN news reports.
Police have yet to make any public statements about the attack, and an investigation has begun, with much of the area at the attack sites cordoned off.
Investigators have arrived at the scene and started collecting evidence.
Police scooters have been parked outside the Eslite store near Zhongshan station, next to blood splatter.
Cho Jung-tai has confirmed the incident in a Facebook post.
The police have not yet released the identity or the nationality of the suspect.
The motive of the attack is still not clear.
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You are not alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
CALM, http://www.thecalmzone.net0800 585 858
Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
HUMEN http://www.wearehumen.org
Mind, http://www.mind.org.uk0300 123 3393
Papyrus, http://www.papyrus-uk.org0800 068 41 41
Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123