Taipei: A man who attacked a female police officer with an ax in Tainan was ordered detained after the Tainan District Court approved a request from prosecutors. The incident occurred on Saturday night, and the court's decision came on Sunday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the court's ruling stated that the man, identified by his surname Lin, had been carrying an ax, which is considered a dangerous item capable of causing bodily harm. Lin had a history of assaulting others and obstructing authorities, which contributed to the court's decision that he posed a high risk of repeated offenses. This provided sufficient grounds for his detention, though the ruling is open to appeal.
The incident began when Lin attacked the officer, surnamed Huang, after receiving a parking violation notice, as reported by the Tainan City Police Department's First Precinct. Lin was quickly subdued by other officers on the scene, arrested, and transferred to prosecutors on suspicion of attempted murder and obstruction of official duties.
The injured officer, Huang, sustained lacerations to both her arms and her back, but her condition was reported as stable earlier on Sunday. The court noted that during questioning, Lin confessed to aggravated obstruction of official duties and the intent to cause harm, although he denied any intent to kill.
Evidence presented in court, including the ax and surveillance footage, supported the prosecutors' argument that Lin's actions suggested an indirect intent to murder Officer Huang. Lin's attack on critical areas of Huang's body further justified this contention, according to the court.