2023 New Taipei City junior high school stabbing
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Noon[2] (National Standard Time)
| 2023 New Taipei City junior high school stabbing | |
|---|---|
| Location | Tucheng District, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China[1] |
| Date | December 25, 2023 Noon[2] (National Standard Time) |
Attack type | Stabbing |
| Weapons | Switchblade |
| Victim | A ninth-grade student (surname Yang)[2] |
| Perpetrators | Guo and Lin[2] |
| Motive | Guo seeking revenge for his "sworn sister" Lin |
| Accused | Guo and Lin[2] |
| Charges | Homicide |
| Convictions | 12 years imprisonment (Guo), 11 years imprisonment (Lin) |
On December 25, 2023, a fatal stabbing occurred at a junior high school in Tucheng District, New Taipei City, Taiwan (Republic of China). A ninth-grade student, identified by the surname Guo, attacked a ninth-grade student surnamed Yang from a neighboring class with a switchblade. Yang was stabbed ten times and later died from his injuries.
On December 25, 2023, during the noon lunch break,[3] a female student surnamed Lin went to the classroom of a male student surnamed Yang to speak with another female classmate. When Lin left the classroom, she reportedly slammed the door forcefully, prompting Yang to remind her to be more careful with school property.[4] Upset by the remark, Lin returned to her own class and sought support from her "sworn brother", a male student surenamed Guo, along with other classmates.[5]
Guo and several students then confronted Yang, and the situation escalated from a verbal dispute into a physical altercation.[3] During the confrontation, Guo produced a concealed switchblade and attacked Yang,[6][7] stabbing him in the neck and chest. The wounds caused severe blood loss, and Yang lost consciousness[note 1].[4][8]
When paramedics arrived, Yang was found to be unresponsive, without breathing or a pulse, as a result of massive blood loss. He was transported to Far Eastern Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment.[4] Hospital staff placed him on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and performed emergency surgery.[9] Although Yang briefly regained vital signs during treatment,[4][10] he was pronounced dead on the evening of December 26[note 2].[11]
The Education Department of the New Taipei City Government confirmed Yang's death on the morning of December 27.[12][13][14]
Investigation
The Tucheng Precinct of the New Taipei City Police Department brought Guo and the alleged instigator Lin for questioning. At approximately 11:00 p.m. on December 25, 2023, both were transferred to the Juvenile Court of the New Taipei District Court on suspicion of attempted murder.[2][15] Following a hearing, the court ordered that Guo be placed in detention, while Lin was released into the custody of her legal guardian.[2][4][15]
After Yang was pronounced dead on December 26, media reports indicated that prosecutors intended to upgrade Guo's charge from attempted murder to homicide; however, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office denied this claim.[16] Suspecting that Lin had used a mobile phone to collude with witnesses, police sought a summons and search warrant from the New Taipei District Court, but the requests were denied on two occasions.[17] On January 4, 2024, following media coverage, Lin voluntarily appeared at a police station accompanied by legal counsel to provide a statement. On January 8, the Juvenile Court ordered Lin to be placed in detention.[18]
On March 21, 2024, the Juvenile Court ruled to transfer both Guo and Lin to the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office for further investigation.[19] On April 12, prosecutors applied for detention incommunicado, citing concerns that the suspects posed risks of evidence destruction, collusion, or flight, and noting that the alleged offenses carried minimum sentences exceeding five years’ imprisonment. The Juvenile Court approved the request.[20]
On May 9, prosecutors formally indicted Lin and Guo on charges of homicide. The Prosecutors Office stated that, in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act and related regulations, no press release, indictment documents, or further case details would be made public.[21] On the morning of May 14, both defendants, along with their case files, were transferred to the Juvenile Court for trial, where the court ordered that they remain detained incommunicado.[22]
Judgment
On the morning of September 30, 2024, the Taiwan New Taipei District Court issued its first-instance verdict, sentencing Guo to nine years' imprisonment and Lin to eight years' imprisonment.[23] The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office stated that it considered the sentences too lenient and announced its intention to appeal.
On December 23, 2025, the Taiwan High Court delivered its second-instance verdict. The appellate panel overturned the lower court’s ruling, convicted both defendants of homicide, and sentenced Guo to 12 years' imprisonment and Lin to 11 years' imprisonment. The judgment remains subject to further appeal. Following the ruling, the victim’s family expressed dissatisfaction, describing the sentences as overly lenient, and staged a protest outside the court criticizing what they viewed as excessive judicial protection of perpetrators.[24]