Taipei subway smoke bomb attack injures several; attacker dies by suicide, confirms Premier Cho Jung-tai

A smoke bomb was set off by a man at a Taipei subway station before he assaulted random people there on Friday. On December 19, 2025, several people were injured by a man who released smoke bombs on a subway platform in Taipei. The authorities are treating the situation as an attack, but the reason for it is still unknown.

The Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said the incident took place at a major metro station in the city on Friday afternoon during commuting hours. The premier also confirmed that more than one person had been injured on the scene after a man released smoke grenades and caused a panic among the rush-hour crowd. As a result, commuters in the main station platform area were overwhelmed with a thick layer of smoke.

Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai revealed in a Facebook post on Friday that the man had exploded smoke bombs in a Taipei metro station, and it seemed like he had also stabbed at least one person.

Cho Jung-tai wrote on Facebook: “One person injured after smoke bomb incident in Taipei metro. The police are on the way.” He did not mention any other details of the explosion in his initial post.

At least two people were injured and treated by paramedics at the site, and four more received medical attention for smoke inhalation, according to a Taiwan military medic who attended to the injuries. Some of the injuries were apparently from the initial attack with cuts and bruises. Others were from people scrambling to get away from the smoke bomb attack.

Final moments, motive

The suspect is believed to have killed himself after the attack, the Central News Agency of Taiwan reported.
The identity and the nationality of the suspect is unknown, and the Taipei police are looking at all possibilities including the motive of the suspect. Police have not yet confirmed if the suspect is connected to terrorism, any political issues or any extremism ideology.

Emergency services had arrived on the scene within minutes of the smoke grenade blast on the platform of the metro station and evacuated the wounded to nearby hospitals. The local Taipei police then sealed off the metro station and are now working with the government to review evidence and witness testimony. They will be reviewing CCTV footage of the station to understand exactly what happened and will be speaking to people at the station during the attack.

Police also temporarily stopped all train services on the metro line where the attack occurred before resuming services shortly after with a complete safety check.

Public Sentiment, Comparisons

Taipei residents have been left shocked and rattled by Friday’s attack on a subway station. “I just heard a loud bang, and I saw people running in all directions,” a female Taipei commuter said after the smoke bomb attack. “It was very scary, and we just wanted to get out alive.”

In a rare event, the previous year, a suspected man used a knife to kill 11 people on a Taipei metro train. The motive for the attack, as well as the identity of the suspect, is still unknown. But the Taipei metro system has generally been considered one of the safest in the world. Despite the country’s strict gun control measures, gun-related crimes have occurred from time to time, especially on public transport.

Next steps

Investigators will hold a press conference on Sunday and will release more information in the next few days, according to the authorities. They will continue to work with the city’s rail agency to enhance security on all transportation systems and to help the public feel safer when commuting on public transport.

The final human cost of the smoke bomb attack will not be known for some time, but the death of the suspect, for now, is a grim reminder of life in Taipei.