Man with Gun Storms Taiwan Lottery Shop, Surrenders After Hours-Long Standoff

A man wielding a firearm stormed into a lottery shop in Taibao City, Chiayi County, late on Thursday night, leading to a two-hour standoff with police. The incident concluded in the early hours of Friday when the suspect, identified by the surname Lin, surrendered his weapon and was taken into custody.

According to reports, Lin, after entering the shop around 10 p.m., expelled the employees and instructed them to call the police. He then barricaded himself inside, reportedly demanding to speak with County Councilor Cai Zhengyi and Cai Chengzong, chairman of the Puxian Temple. Police quickly cordoned off the area, attracting a crowd of onlookers.

“

He was emotionally unstable. I went in to calm his emotions and reason with him. With the concern of the Chiayi County Police Bureau chief and councilors, the unpleasant matter was resolved satisfactorily.

Both Cai Zhengyi and Cai Chengzong were summoned to the scene and entered the lottery shop to negotiate with Lin. Their efforts, along with the presence of police officials, led to Lin's surrender shortly after midnight. Police reported that Lin handed over several firearms before being handcuffed and taken for questioning. The motive behind his actions is under investigation, though Cai Chengzong described Lin as emotionally unstable and stated their aim was to calm him and resolve the situation peacefully.

“

I communicated the decision to Wataru, and his reaction was different from what I could imagine. I felt bad about how I told him.