Taichung MRT Stabbing: Sentence Reduced After Victim Forgiveness in Taiwan

A Reduced Sentence Sparks Debate After Taichung Train Attack

Taipei, Taiwan - In a surprising turn of events, a man convicted of stabbing two passengers on the Taichung Metro has had his prison sentence reduced following a settlement with one of the victims. The High Court's Taichung Branch announced on Wednesday that the initial 10-year sentence, handed down in December of last year, has been shortened to nine years and nine months.

The attacker, 20-year-old Hung (洪), received the original sentence for attempted murder and endangering public safety. The charges stemmed from an incident last May on a Taichung Metro train where he attacked a 27-year-old man, Hsu (許), and a 17-year-old high school student, Lu (呂).

The court's decision to reduce the sentence was based on the fact that Hung reached a settlement with Lu. The court acknowledged Hung's confession, the nature of the knives used, and the severity of the injuries inflicted, concluding that he intended to kill. Hung's denial of attempted murder was deemed not credible.

Lu's father shared with reporters that his son chose to forgive Hung, offering him a second chance. The incident occurred on May 21st, when Hung used three knives to randomly attack passengers, injuring two before being subdued by other passengers.

During the investigation, Hung stated he was dissatisfied with Taiwanese society and sought to make a statement. He chose to commit the assault on the 10th anniversary of the infamous Cheng Chieh (鄭捷) Taipei Metro attack, where Cheng killed four people and injured 22 in 2014.

Prosecutors charged Hung with attempted murder and public intimidation in June of last year. The ruling remains subject to appeal.