A 17-year-old high school student in Ruifang, New Taipei City, was stabbed in the neck by a 14-year-old junior high school student with a knife and was in critical condition

2026/09/26 12:11

A murder case occurred in Ruifang District, and the police set up a cordon. (File photo, provided by the police)

[Reporter Luo Bi/Report from Taipei] A 17-year-old high school student in Ruifang District, New Taipei City was fatally stabbed in the neck by a 14-year-old junior high school student with a sharp knife, causing parents to worry. They are also worried that the spate of juvenile injuries are affected by the previous New Taipei "Gang Ge" throat-cutting case? Li Junhong, deputy director of the Taoyuan Nursing Home of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said that there is currently no evidence that the incident in Ruifang District is related to previous cases. It cannot be regarded as a copycat effect just because the methods of wounding are similar. Instead of rushing to find a single cause, we should pay attention to the warning signs before the conflict escalates and intervene early.

Li Junhong pointed out that youth violence is usually the result of the interaction of multiple factors such as individuals, families, peers and the environment. Emotional reactions in adolescence are strong, and impulse control and risk judgment abilities are still developing; if there are long-term interpersonal or family conflicts, a history of bullying or being bullied, combined with alcohol, drug use, or mental health problems, the risk may be compounded. However, these are generally possible risk factors and cannot be used to infer the cause of injury in the Ruifang case.

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The school said that the students involved in the case usually need more professional support in terms of emotional adjustment. Li Junhong said that "receiving counseling" and "counseling is effective" are two different things, and receiving counseling does not mean that the risk has completely disappeared. A student's situation in the classroom or counseling room may not be the same as after leaving school; if out-of-school conflicts are not included in the counseling plan, breakpoints in care may occur. Schools should continue to review the effectiveness of tutoring, and when risks increase, they should also have clear mechanisms for tracking, notifying parents, and cross-unit cooperation. Tutors should not be left to shoulder the responsibility alone.

What situations require increased vigilance? Li Junhong pointed out that if a child has attacked, hurt himself or threatened others, carried dangerous items, or clearly stated who he wanted to hurt, it should not be treated as a general emotional problem, and the risk should be further assessed and the crisis dealt with.

As for how to avoid tragedy in the current conflict? Li Junhong reminded that when you are angry or excited, questioning, provoking, and others watching and booing may escalate the situation. You should first keep your distance, stop arguing, and seek adult assistance; if the other party has possession of dangerous items such as knives and scissors, or makes clear threats of harm, you should leave immediately, seek help, and do not face it alone. "Seek safety first, cool down through distance, and finally talk about right and wrong."

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