2026-01-15 19:30 ETtoday News
Zhang Wen fell to his death, and prosecutors and police could only piece together his motive through analysis by a criminal psychologist. Experts determined that Zhang Wen committed an “expression crime,” seeking maximum social impact and asserting his existence. Zhang Wen’s long-term lack of care, coupled with his frequent exposure to violent content, and even collecting news about Vietnamese butchers in his “Dead” folder, deepened his psychological issues.
To investigate his motive, prosecutors and police analyzed Zhang Wen’s inner world, interviewing over 140 family members and friends. They described Zhang Wen as taciturn and repressed. His selfies showed empty, lifeless eyes, devoid of any smile. Flipping through his photo album from childhood to adulthood revealed almost no photos with others, indirectly revealing Zhang Wen’s extremely poor interpersonal relationships. Prosecutors and police consulted a criminal psychologist, who concluded that Zhang Wen’s motive was an expression crime.
Wang Pp-Chi, Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Justice at Ming Chuan University,”He may have been venting or seeking attention and fame. As for conveying something, he may have been expressing his dissatisfaction with society.”
Especially after the incident, Zhang Wen’s brother went to Taipei Main Station and left a letter for Yu Chia-chang, detailing Zhang Wen’s past suffering from family upbringing, bullying during his school years and military service, and the harsh realities of the workplace.
Taiwan Taipei District Prosecutors Office Chief Prosecutor Tseng Yang-ling: “The defendant, Zhang Wen, was poorly adapted to the institutionalized, accountability-based workplace environment, leading to high levels of anxiety.”
Zhang Wen even deliberately drove under the influence and called the police to arrest himself in order to be discharged from the military. After committing the crime at Taipei Main Station on December 19th, he returned to his hotel and searched for breaking news to confirm that his actions had attracted public and media attention.
Taiwan Taipei District Prosecutors Office Chief Prosecutor Tseng Yang-ling stated, “The defendant’s actions were not simply about satisfying the impulses of violent crime, but rather an attempt to express his existence and influence by amplifying social shock.”
Prosecutors and police also discovered that Chang Wen not only searched for news about Cheng Chieh, but also created a “DEAD” folder to collect news about the Vietnamese butcher, and frequently browsed violent cartoons. He had even confided to a friend that he wanted to commit a major crime before he died.
Taiwan Taipei District Prosecutors Office Chief Prosecutor Tseng Yang-ling stated, “The motive for the crime should be understood as pursuing maximum social tension and expressing a symbolic result through criminal activity.”
In the past, he had also poured sulfuric acid into a neighbor’s stroller because he was unhappy with noise from his rented apartment. These extreme behaviors already revealed Chang Wen’s inner turmoil, coupled with long-term estrangement from his family and lack of care, leading to this irreparable and heinous crime.