Police Arrest Man Who Attacked Elderly Runner in Taoyuan

A shocking violent assault recently occurred in Taiwanese society when a man approaching seventy years of age was unprovokedly attacked by a stranger with a riot gun while out for his routine jog along a levee road in Taoyuan City's Guanyin District, sustaining multiple injuries to his face and chest. The incident has not only caused physical and psychological trauma to the victim, but has also triggered deep concern among local residents regarding public safety and the law-and-order environment. Upon receiving the report, the Taoyuan City Police Department attached great importance to the case and immediately formed a dedicated task force to expand the investigation. Through reviewing surrounding surveillance footage and meticulous tracking, the authorities ultimately apprehended a male suspect surnamed Su in Keelung City. Investigators are currently working to thoroughly clarify his motives and the source of the firearm.

According to preliminary police investigations and established facts, the incident took place on the 12th of this month near the levee of Taoke 12th Road in Taoyuan City's Guanyin District. During the quiet morning hours, the 70-year-old man had gone to the area for his usual outdoor jogging to maintain his health. However, during his workout, a man completely unknown to the victim suddenly approached him and, without any warning, used a riot gun capable of causing lethal force or intense pain to fire plastic bullets at the elderly man. The sudden attack caught the victim off guard, and he was struck in the face and chest on the spot, bleeding from his injuries. Fortunately, after being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, his injuries did not affect vital organs and he was temporarily out of danger following medical care. Nevertheless, the random act of violence has caused considerable shock in the local community.

Following the incident, the Dayuan Precinct of the Taoyuan City Police Department and the Criminal Investigation Corps of the City Police Department immediately formed a joint task force and reported the case to prosecutors at the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office to direct the investigation. Task force officers secured and examined the scene immediately, while reviewing a massive amount of surveillance footage from around the crime scene and along connecting roads to filter for suspicious individuals and vehicles. Through persistent investigation and big data cross-matching, police quickly locked onto a male suspect surnamed Su as being heavily implicated. Having tracked Su's whereabouts, the task force crossed jurisdictions to Keelung City yesterday to execute an arrest, successfully taking the suspect into custody and seizing relevant evidence. The case is currently under interrogation by police to clarify his exact motive and the source of the weapon.

In recent years, non-lethal weapons such as riot guns and paintball guns have become relatively easy to acquire on the market. While such equipment is primarily used for survival games, animal deterrence, or specific security defense purposes, the rubber bullets, plastic bullets, or steel balls they fire can still cause severe physical injury—or even disfigurement—if they strike the human body at close range. This incident highlights loopholes and hidden concerns in the management of regulated firearms and secondary weapons. When equipment with such powerful impact falls into the hands of criminals, it frequently becomes a weapon that endangers public safety. How to strengthen source control and circulation checks on various non-standard firearms and riot guns is an important issue that current law enforcement authorities must face and urgently resolve.

Beyond the aspect of crime prevention, this case has once again drawn public attention to the safety of outdoor activities for the elderly and the order of public spaces. With the development of technology parks and the influx of population in recent years, many roads and levee areas around Taoyuan's Guanyin District have become popular spots for residents to relax, walk, and jog. However, blind spots in public open spaces and the allocation density of security patrols directly impact the public's quality of life and sense of security. Because this case occurred on a levee road used for daily jogging, with the victim suffering an unprovoked attack simply for exercising, it has undoubtedly dealt a psychological blow to community residents. Local police authorities have promised to strengthen patrols and security maintenance in the area to reassure the public, while calling on citizens to promptly report suspicious people and objects to jointly safeguard social security.