Man tries to gouge Taiwan shopkeeper's eyes after reminder to wear mask

Man tries to gouge Taiwan shopkeeper's eyes after reminder to wear mask
PHOTO: Facebook screengrab

Enraged by the convenience store attendant's reminder to put on his mask, a man went behind the counter and brutally attacked her.

According to the report by ET Today, the incident took place at a convenience store on Sunday (Sept 26) in Pingtung county, Taiwan. The perpetrator, a man in his 50s, had entered the store to purchase something. 

Based on the shop's CCTV footage, the man is seen rushing behind the counter, where he attacked the attendant in her face continuously for three minutes. 

Even as police arrived on the scene, he refused to stop his attack and had to be pulled away from the victim. He was then apprehended by the police and brought back for investigations. The woman was rushed to the hospital for treatment. 

The victim, who is in her 20s, suffered multiple severe injuries on her face, including a detached retina in one eye and a badly-broken nose. 

She underwent surgery for her eyes on Wednesday, and is expected to go for another to fix her nose. 

Another report by the Taiwanese media agency revealed that the man suffers from mental illness, and has a history of violence.

In 2012, he assaulted a man with an iron chair, causing the latter to suffer severe multiple fractures, and lose his teeth. He was detained for 59 days and fined for the offence. 

Subsequently, in 2014, he pushed another man down a flight of stairs, causing a laceration at the back of the victim's head.  

In June, he attacked a 71-year-old woman with a kitchen knife, injuring her in the abdomen and neck. The woman was hospitalised for two months after the attack. Following this attack, the perpetrator was also sent to the hospital to be treated for his mental illness, but was discharged in August as his condition had stabilised after taking medication. 

Residents in the area told reporters that the man had suffered from mental illness since a decade ago, and had allegedly bitten a dog to death when it attacked him. Since that incident, the residents would remind each other not to agitate him. 

The perpetrator is currently detained in a facility and is receiving treatment for his condition. In lieu of his violent history, Pingtung County Magistrate Pan Men-an has reassured residents that the relevant institutions are working towards providing long-term detainment and treatment for him. 

claudiatan@asiaone.com 

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