Engineer Causes Disturbance at Miaoli Mall, Injuring Employee; Police Detain and Send for Medical Treatment

(CNA, reporter Kuan Jui-ping, Miaoli County, 10th) A man surnamed Chen suddenly lost emotional control at a shopping mall in Toufen, Miaoli, last night, destroying items at several counters. An employee who tried to stop him was inadvertently injured, causing a panic. According to the police investigation, Mr. Chen is an engineer. After being subdued and taken into protective custody at the scene, he was escorted to a hospital by his family.

The Miaoli County Fire Bureau stated that they received a report of a trauma case from the Shang Shun Shopping Centre around 8 PM on the 9th. Upon arrival, paramedics found a mall employee with a laceration on his hand, allegedly sustained while trying to stop the disruptive individual. He was treated and sent to Wei-Kung Memorial Hospital.

An eyewitness shared a video on the social media platform Threads, stating that the man suddenly rushed into the mall, shouting and destroying items at a counter. A mall employee who intervened was injured and bleeding from the hand. The sudden incident sparked discussion among netizens.

The Toufen Precinct of the Miaoli County Police Bureau stated in a press release today that upon receiving a public report last night, officers were immediately dispatched. When they arrived, they found merchandise scattered on the floor and the man involved, Mr. Chen, already under control by people at the scene. Considering Mr. Chen's agitated state and disorderly behavior, police implemented protective custody to prevent him from harming himself or others again and brought him to the station.

Police said the 36-year-old Mr. Chen, who works as an engineer in Taoyuan, was near his family home in Toufen when he suddenly lost emotional control and destroyed merchandise at three different store counters with his bare hands. A citizen surnamed Huang, who helped to restrain Mr. Chen, was accidentally injured during the process. Currently, both the stores and the injured citizen have decided not to press charges for damages and injury for the time being.

After Mr. Chen was brought to the police station, he appeared to be in a poor mental state. His family was contacted to accompany him to the hospital for medical treatment with police assistance.

Toufen Precinct Chief Kuo I-lung stated that the primary consideration for police when implementing protective custody is to ensure the safety of the individual and the public. He urged the public to seek medical assistance early if they notice friends or family experiencing emotional instability or abnormal mental conditions, so as to jointly build a comprehensive social safety net and prevent unfortunate incidents. (Editor: Li Hsi-chang) 1150610