By T.J. Muscaro

The man suspected of killing at least three people with a knife and discharging smokebombs in Taipei, Taiwan, on Dec. 19, acted alone, authorities said on Dec. 20.

Chang Wen, 27, from Taoyuan, who fell to his death during a police chase through a packed shopping district, is the chief suspect in a rare instance of violent crime in the island nation’s capital. Investigators believe he acted alone.

“Based on relevant verification work carried out continuously since yesterday, we have not found that the suspect had any other accomplices,” National Police Agency Director-General Chang Jung-hsin told reporters.

The series of attacks began at 3:40 p.m. local time, Chang said. First, the suspect allegedly set motorbikes and cars ablaze, and also allegedly set fire to where he was staying.

Then, smoke grenades were thrown near two exits to Taipei’s main metro station, and one person was fatally wounded with a knife.

After that, Chang said the suspect took an underground route back to the hotel where he was staying. Finally, he allegedly threw more smoke grenades, killed another person with a knife outside the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi department store, and fatally wounded a third person inside the building on the fourth floor. He then allegedly fell to his death from the building’s fifth floor.

The smoke grenades used in the attack are available for purchase online, and authorities said that the suspect visited sites where they could be purchased before the attack.

“The suspect planned an indiscriminate attack. He acted according to his plan,” Chang said.

“The suspect hasn’t contacted his family for more than two years. They said the suspect has been interested in guns and weapons since he was young.”

As for a motive, investigations are still ongoing. However, authorities said a warrant had been out on the suspect since July, charging him with failing to report for Taiwan’s compulsory military service.

This attack triggered an intensification of police presence in Taipei and across the island, ahead of the very popular New Year’s Eve countdown celebration.

“For areas in Taipei city where crowds are expected to gather in various commercial districts, we are upgrading security measures citywide,” Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an told reporters.

“This includes not only increasing the police presence but also ensuring that all officers are fully equipped with the necessary gear.”

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visited some of the wounded at the hospital on Dec. 20 and posted on Facebook that his government would learn lessons from this and improve how it prevents and responds to incidents like this.

“I have asked the Ministry of the Interior, the police department, and the county and city police agencies to comprehensively improve their ability to respond to and protect the public immediately, and to institutionalize anti-terrorism police deployment and training,” he said.

“At the same time, the government will provide full support to assist the families of the victims, the injured, and the brave in doing so.

“Safeguarding the safety of the people is the most basic responsibility of the government, and we will do our best,” he added.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.