A 39-year-old man was apprehended by police in Taichung last night following a brutal assault on his 70-year-old mother. The incident, which occurred at approximately 9:30 pm in a residence on Gongxue Road, South District, reportedly escalated from a heated verbal argument between the suspect and the victim. In a fit of rage, the man allegedly used a household knife to inflict severe injuries to his mother’s neck and head before fleeing the scene in a completely nude state.
Witnesses were left in shock as the suspect, identified by his surname Chang, wandered through the streets while brandishing a knife. Passers-by desperately avoided the individual as he traversed roughly 1.4 kilometres away from the family home. Mobile phone footage captured by onlookers showed the suspect walking aimlessly and gesturing with the weapon, creating a scene of public terror that eventually ended near the local Gongxue Market.
Police officers tracking the suspect exercised extreme caution, utilizing shields and pepper spray to subdue the armed man. After following him for a distance, officers managed to ambush Chang from behind, pinning him to the ground and successfully disarming him. While his public indecency drew immediate attention, the gravity of the situation became clear once authorities discovered the bloodied victim back at the residence, where her husband had just returned from running errands.
The suspect’s father expressed complete bewilderment to the media, stating that he had only left the house briefly to purchase items and returned to find his wife, surnamed Liao, bleeding profusely. Emergency medical personnel found the elderly woman without signs of life upon their arrival at the scene. Although medical professionals at the hospital managed to restore her heartbeat and consciousness, she remains in a critical condition and has not yet been declared out of danger.
The Taichung District Prosecutors Office is currently handling the case, with the suspect facing charges of attempted murder. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific motive behind the violent outburst and whether the suspect has a history of mental health issues or substance abuse. Authorities have urged the public to remain calm while they piece together the events that led to this tragic domestic incident.
