Man Sentenced to 5.5 Years for Attempted Murder After Threatening Ex-Girlfriend with Gasoline

A man in Kaohsiung has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for attempted murder after he broke into his ex-girlfriend's room, doused himself in gasoline, and attempted to set himself on fire with the intention of dying together. The incident was thwarted when the woman's family intervened and subdued him.

The court documents state that the defendant, identified by the surname Dai, harbored resentment after his cohabiting girlfriend, referred to as Xiao Fang, ended their relationship in July 2025. He allegedly went to her residence in Xiaogang District on September 9th with a watermelon knife to threaten her. Later, on September 15th, he reportedly went to her workplace with a lighter and a bottle of gasoline to intimidate her.

The most serious incident occurred on the evening of September 24th, when Dai allegedly entered Xiao Fang's second-floor room carrying a knife, lighter, and a bottle of gasoline. He locked the door from the inside, poured gasoline over himself, and repeatedly tried to ignite it. Xiao Fang's cries for help alerted her family, who discovered the locked door. They forced their way into the room and managed to overpower Dai. Xiao Fang was taken to a bathroom and washed down, narrowly escaping harm.

The Kaohsiung District Prosecutor's Office initially charged Dai with attempted murder. However, the district court ruled that he lacked the intent to kill and instead convicted him of coercion, sentencing him to two and a half years. The prosecution appealed this decision, leading the Kaohsiung High Court to reverse the lower court's finding. The High Court reclassified the charge to attempted murder and imposed a heavier sentence of five years and six months. The ruling can still be appealed.