A tragic case of fatal domestic violence has shocked Taiwan, after a 27-year-old nightclub hostess surnamed Gu was brutally killed by her ex-boyfriend following a series of harassment incidents.
The incident occurred on the night of July 30 in Taipei’s Xinyi District, where Gu worked as a public relations hostess at a nightclub. According to Taiwanese media, the suspect, a man surnamed Liu and Gu’s former colleague and boyfriend, had repeatedly begged Gu to reconcile after their breakup, but was consistently rejected.
On the night of the incident, Liu reportedly lay in wait in the parking lot of the nightclub where Gu worked. When she arrived on her electric bicycle, Liu ambushed her, dragging her into the stairwell and attacking her with a knife, slashing her neck and abdomen. She was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries around 10 p.m.
Liu fled the scene by car, but police tracked him using surveillance footage. He was arrested in the early hours of July 31 at a relative’s home in Wujie, Yilan.
Gu had previously reported repeated stalking and harassment by Liu. Friends claimed he would block her from getting into cars outside her workplace and residence, leading to frequent scuffles. At one point, her friends resorted to spraying Liu with pepper spray out of frustration.
Just days before the murder, Gu had shared on social media photos of luxury items and home appliances that had been slashed and destroyed—allegedly by Liu after she refused his advances. She said the damage amounted to at least NT$1.5 million (approx. RM213,000). In her posts, she also revealed that Liu had a history of domestic violence, including slapping and choking her during their relationship.
On July 29, just one day before the attack, Gu was granted a court-issued restraining order. In response to a netizen’s warning to “be careful or he might slash you,” Gu chillingly replied, “That’s not impossible.”
Thinking she would be safer, Gu had moved into a high-rise building in Xinyi, believing Liu wouldn’t find her. But the warning tragically came true.
A witness who saw the entire attack later shared his traumatic experience on Threads, saying he gave hours of testimony and was still in shock. Covered in blood and haunted by Gu’s screams, he attempted CPR as instructed by emergency responders but was unable to save her. “I’ve never felt so helpless,” he wrote, expressing guilt and urging netizens not to make light of the tragedy. “This was a life lost right before my eyes,” he said, calling for compassion and a moment of silence for Gu.
