Woman rescued by passersby after suspected random knife attack in Taitung City

A woman is recovering in hospital after a man followed her out of a convenience store and attacked her with a knife before being subdued by passersby in Taitung City yesterday, Sunday, July 9.

According to reports, a 26-year-old woman, named Jiang, walked out of a convenience store on Zhongxing Road, Section 2 at around 12:15 pm. Surveillance footage of the incident showed that the suspect, a 50-year-old man, named Chang, followed Jiang across a zebra crossing before pouncing on her from behind and slashing her with a utility knife.

Ms Jiang fell to the ground then broke free from her attacker and ran while calling for help. Four men surrounded the assailant armed with improvised weapons. One man wielded an electric fan, another picked up a small suitcase belonging to the victim, and another man brandished a large metal soup ladle.

After a tense standoff, during which the suspect lunged at the men with the knife several times, one man knocked the knife out of Chang’s hand with the soup ladle, and others assisted in tackling Chang to the ground.

Police arrived and arrested Chang. After a brief hospital visit, Chang was interrogated and handed over to the District Prosecutor to be charged on suspicion of attempted murder, injury, and other crimes.

Ms Jiang was treated in hospital for cuts to neck, arms, and thighs. Non of her injuries were life-threatening.

Whether the assailant and victim were known to each other is yet to be clarified, but Ms Jiang is reported to have said at the scene of the incident that she did not know the man who attacked her.

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