page_title: 2014 Taipei Metro attack
section_title: Reactions
hierarchical_section_title: 2014 Taipei Metro attack / Reactions
caption_attribution_description: 中文（繁體）‎: 臺北捷運江子翠站三號出口後方的獻花臺與默禱民眾。
context_page_description: The 2014 Taipei Metro attack was a mass stabbing spree that took place on 21 May 2014, directed at random civilians on a Taipei Metro train near Jiangzicui Station, resulting in four deaths and 24 injuries. It was the first fatal attack on the city's subway system since operations began in 1996. The suspected attacker, Cheng Chieh, then 21, was arrested after the attack. He was sentenced to 144 years in prison and four death sentences, and was executed on 10 May 2016.
context_section_description: On the evening of 21 May, people began leaving flowers and cards at an exit of Jiangzicui Station to pay tribute to those who died in the attack.
  On 22 May, President Ma Ying-jeou condemned the attack and ordered the National Police Agency to investigate what led a university student to stab four people to death on a crowded subway train. The Legislative Yuan on 23 May released a joint statement signed by all political parties calling for the National Police Agency to thoroughly re-examine and increase police deployment on metro systems, railways and airports. Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin announced that police officers from precincts in Taipei and New Taipei City are to be permanently deployed at each of the Taipei MRT commuter rail system's 109 stations.
  General manager Tan Gwa-guang of the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation stated that the company would pay the medical expenses of the victims and set aside NT$4 million to compensate their families. Taipei City Government also raised funds to use as compensation.
  Tunghai University released an open letter, saying that Cheng is part of the family, and promised to set up an expert committee to investigate the matter.
  Kuomintang legislator Chiang Huei-chen (江惠貞) said the passengers had put themselves in danger by focusing on their smartphones, while another KMT legislator, Lin Te-fu (林德福), said the passengers should have quickly pressed the emergency alert button in the train, and that the passengers lacked common sense. These remarks had sparked a public outcry against the legislators.
  The incident has sparked a debate online about whether the death penalty is appropriate punishment for such attacks. A Facebook group named "Indefinitely supporting death penalty for Cheng Chieh" had over 32,000 "likes" as of 22 May.
  Lin Hsin-yi (林欣怡), executive director of the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, said that the most important thing at present is for the public to think about how to help the victims of the metro slashing spree and ease the survivors and their relatives out of the suffering brought about by the tragedy.
  On 27 May, Cheng Chieh's parents publicly apologized at Jiangzicui Station and called for a quick death sentence for their son.
caption: Tribute at Jiangzicui Station Exit 3
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