Miaoli Drug User Sentenced to 29 Years for Random Stabbings in First Instance

The Miaoli District Court today issued a press release stating that the collegiate panel found Qiu Ming-chih had served time for attempted murder in 2016, and was released in March 2025. Less than seven months later, on October 2, 2025, after using amphetamines at his residence, he conceived the idea of randomly killing people in public. He first taped a kitchen knife to his left hand and then rode a motorcycle through Miaoli City streets, randomly searching for victims.

Around 4 PM that day, Qiu Ming-chih spotted an elementary school girl walking alone after school. He turned around, dismounted, and stabbed the girl in the neck and chest with a 30-cm kitchen knife (blade length about 17.5 cm). The girl narrowly blocked the attack, broke free, and ran to a nearby convenience store for refuge, asking a man named Lin, who was about to enter the store, to call the police. Qiu followed him to the scene and stabbed Mr. Lin, causing severe injuries that nearly cost him his life.

As Mr. Lin fled after being stabbed, several elementary school children passing by the intersection were terrified and ran away. Qiu Ming-chih then grabbed another girl who had not managed to escape and stabbed her in the chest, causing a penetrating wound and a large hemothorax. Fortunately, a cram school teacher at the scene promptly pulled the girl away and escorted her to a nearby residence for help. Qiu then stopped and rode his motorcycle home. All three injured individuals were rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment and survived.

The court stated that the collegiate panel's investigation found Qiu Ming-chih's actions during the crime were agile, and he later confronted police and resisted arrest. During the investigation and trial, he clearly described his motive and details of the crime. Based on a comprehensive judgment, the defendant's crime was due to poor emotional management and inability to properly adjust to negative emotions, acting impulsively after drug use. However, his cognitive and control abilities at the time of the crime were not lost or significantly reduced, thus the provisions for sentence reduction do not apply.

Regarding the facts of the crime, the collegiate panel, based on Qiu Ming-chih's confession and evidence presented by the prosecutor, found the defendant guilty of four crimes: public endangerment due to drugged driving under Article 185-3, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 3 of the Criminal Code; attempted murder of a child by an adult under the Child and Youth Welfare and Rights Protection Act and Article 271, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code; and attempted murder. These should be judged separately and punished concurrently.

The collegiate panel believed that Qiu's random killings in public during broad daylight, targeting elementary school children and innocent passersby, were cruel. This not only infringed upon individual life and bodily rights but also caused severe social panic, posing a significant danger to society.

The court pointed out that the defendant admitted his actions during the trial and apologized multiple times, showing remorse. However, considering his criminal record and the cruelty of the crime, the collegiate panel decided that the attempted murder and attempted murder of a child by an adult should be given a medium-to-high sentence to maintain social safety. Also, considering the defendant's behavioral patterns and the multiplicity of infringed legal interests, within the statutory maximum of 30 years of imprisonment, a fixed sentence of 29 years of imprisonment was imposed. The case can still be appealed. (Edited by Chang Ming-kun) 2026-04-07

Cherish life, stay away from drugs. You can call the Drug Hazard Prevention and Control Center hotline at 0800-770-885 for addiction information and professional assistance.