2022年12月19日傍晚約5時30分，台北市交通核心樞紐台北車站驚傳嚴重攻擊事件。一名歹徒頭戴外觀近似「專業級防毒面具」的裝備，在車站周邊及地下空間連續施放煙霧彈、投擲汽油彈，並持利刃攻擊路人，行徑具有高度隨機性與恐慌效果，現場民眾一度誤以為發生火警或爆炸事故，氣氛極度混亂。

根據警方初步掌握，歹徒最早出現在捷運板南線通往台北車站大廳的M7出口外，突然丟出一枚煙霧彈，伴隨巨響與大量刺鼻濃煙迅速瀰漫，人潮瞬間潰散，站區秩序大亂。隨後，歹徒轉往鄰近的M8出口，沿著通道進入地下B1層，在連通道內、星巴克門前點燃並投擲汽油彈，火光與濃煙進一步加劇現場恐慌。

歹徒並未就此停手，而是持續深入車站地下空間，進入B2層後再次投擲煙霧彈，並持刀攻擊一名約57歲的男性路人，被害人當場倒地受傷，隨即被送醫救治。整起事件發生於下班尖峰時段，車站內人流密集，所幸未造成更大規模的傷亡，但已對公共安全造成嚴重衝擊。

約在台北車站事件發生後20分鐘左右，歹徒再度流竄至鄰近的捷運中山站，持長刀隨機攻擊四至五名路人，並再次丟擲煙霧彈，甚至闖入誠品南西店內，造成現場顧客與店員驚慌逃散。警方獲報後迅速展開追捕行動，最終在追緝過程中，嫌犯於逃逸途中墜樓，事件暫告一段落。

台北市長蔣萬安隨即對外表示，已指示台北市警察局與消防局以最快速度全面釐清案情，務必依法究責並迅速逮捕嫌犯。他強調，任何在公共場所蓄意製造恐慌、危害市民生命安全的行為，市府都將「從重、從速、依法究責，絕不寬貸」。蔣萬安同時承諾，會持續向市民說明事件最新進展，並要求台北捷運公司即刻提升全線車站警戒層級，加強巡邏與安全維護。

蔣萬安於當晚也親赴現場了解狀況，慰問受影響民眾並督導應變作業。這起發生在台北最重要交通節點的連環攻擊事件，再次引發社會對公共場所安全、防暴機制以及捷運系統危機應變能力的高度關注。

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on December 19, an alarming attack occurred at Taipei Main Station, the city’s primary transportation hub. A suspect wearing what appeared to be a “professional-grade gas mask” carried out a series of coordinated assaults involving smoke bombs, Molotov cocktails, and a bladed weapon. The attack caused widespread panic, and one man was injured during the initial incident.

According to preliminary police findings, the suspect first appeared outside Exit M7, which connects the Bannan Line to the main concourse of Taipei Main Station. He threw a smoke bomb that detonated with a loud bang and released a large volume of pungent smoke, leading many members of the public to believe a fire or explosion had occurred. The sudden chaos caused crowds to scatter and severely disrupted order within the station.

The suspect then moved toward the nearby Exit M8 and descended into the underground B1 corridor, where he ignited and threw a Molotov cocktail in front of a Starbucks. Flames and thick smoke further intensified public fear. He continued deeper into the station’s underground levels, reaching B2, where he once again deployed a smoke bomb and attacked a male passerby, approximately 57 years old, with a knife. The victim collapsed at the scene and was later transported to hospital for medical treatment.

The incident took place during the evening rush hour, when passenger traffic was particularly heavy. Although the number of casualties was limited, the attack posed a serious threat to public safety and caused significant disruption to one of Taipei’s most heavily used transit centers.

Approximately 20 minutes after the initial attack at Taipei Main Station, a second violent incident was reported at nearby Zhongshan Station. The same suspect allegedly carried a long blade and randomly attacked four to five pedestrians, again throwing smoke bombs and forcing his way into the Eslite Nanxi bookstore. Shoppers and staff fled in panic as police units rushed to the scene and launched a manhunt. During the pursuit, the suspect fell from a height and was seriously injured, bringing the rampage to an end.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an issued an immediate statement, confirming that he had instructed the Taipei City Police Department and Fire Department to clarify the circumstances of the case as quickly as possible and to bring those responsible to justice. He emphasized that any deliberate act intended to spread fear or harm civilians in public spaces would be dealt with “swiftly and severely in accordance with the law, with zero tolerance.” The mayor also pledged to keep the public informed of further developments and ordered the Taipei Metro system to raise security alert levels across all stations and intensify patrols.

Mayor Chiang arrived at the scene later that evening to assess the situation personally, oversee emergency response efforts, and offer reassurance to affected citizens. The series of attacks at Taipei’s most important transportation hub has since sparked renewed public concern over safety in public spaces, anti-violence measures, and the crisis response capabilities of the city’s metro system.