Knife-wielding attacker kills three in Taipei, dies during police chase

Three people were killed and five injured when a knife-wielding attacker went on a rampage in central Taipei on Friday, before then dying during a police chase after falling from a building, the premier said.

The man had let off smoke bombs at Taipei's main train station, and then ran to a nearby subway station in a busy shopping district, attacking people on the way, Premier Cho Jung-tai said.

The deceased suspected attacker had a prior criminal record and outstanding warrants and his house has been searched, Cho told reporters. Violent crime is very rare in Taiwan.

"We will investigate his background and associated relationships to understand his motives and determine if there are other connected factors," he added, identifying the man only by his last name, Chang.

Besides smoke grenades, he likely possessed items such as petrol bombs that appeared to have burned at the scene and he was also wearing what appeared to be body armour and a mask, Cho said.

"It appears he deliberately threw smoke bombs and wielded a long knife to carry out indiscriminate attacks on the public."