Five sentenced for gun attack on rival in Taiwan

A group of five men in Taiwan's Chiayi County have been sentenced for a violent shooting incident. The court handed down prison terms ranging from three months to eight years and six months. The incident stemmed from a dispute where the main defendant, identified as Cai, sought to retaliate for a friend.

According to the indictment, Cai illegally possessed a submachine gun and a non-functional handgun with ammunition. On the evening of September 16th last year, he gathered friends, including Chen, Huang, and two others named Cai and Wu, to confront and assault a rival named Kong. Following the confrontation, the group went to a betel nut stand to drink.

Early the next morning, upon learning that Kong was planning to seek revenge, Cai and his associates returned to the betel nut stand. When Kong arrived by car, two of the men, identified as Cai and another Cai, opened fire with their weapons, shooting 13 times at Kong's vehicle. Chen, Huang, and Wu provided backup. One handgun misfired, and the submachine gun's bullets struck nearby structures, including a small eatery's rolling shutter and glass doors, as well as a truck's window, instead of hitting the car. The group fled upon hearing police sirens.

The court considered Cai's illegal possession of firearms and the social unrest caused by his actions. While the five men confessed, they did not compensate the victim for damages. Cai received eight years and six months for illegal possession of a non-standard submachine gun and firing it in a public place, along with a fine. Another defendant received seven years and four months for the shooting. Chen, Huang, and Wu were sentenced to three to six months for gathering with weapons to commit violence and intimidation.

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The court considered Cai's illegal possession of firearms and the social unrest caused by his actions.