The March 19 shooting incident (), also known as the 319 incident, was an assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu while they were campaigning in Tainan, Taiwan on 19 March 2004, the day before Taiwan's presidential election. Their injuries were not life-threatening, and both Chen and Lu were released from Chi-Mei Hospital on the same day without losing consciousness or undergoing surgery.

The attack provoked shock and unease in Taiwan, where political violence of this kind was commonplace against non-KMT members 40 years earlier. The Taiwan dollar fell by 0.2 percent but quickly recovered. Several forensic studies, including one conducted by an American team, showed that the gun wounds were real.

In August 2005, the case was officially closed with all evidence pointing to a single deceased suspect, Chen Yi-hsiung.

Sequence of events

President Chen and Vice President Lu were standing in the back seat of an open convertible Jeep moving slowly through a crowded street when around 1:45 pm, a bullet penetrated the windshield of the vehicle, grazed Chen's stomach, and was stopped in his clothes. Chen received a flesh wound long and wide. Wang Hsin-nan, a lawyer traveling with Chen, also confirmed the shots. Chen's opponent, Lien Chan, and Lien's campaign manager Wang Jin-pyng tried to visit Chen on the night of the incident, but were unable to see the president because he was resting. Chen appeared in public the next day when he turned out to cast his vote.

Investigation

Within hours, police announced that the crime was not political, and that the People's Republic of China was not involved. Some Pan-Blue supporters theorized that the incident was staged in order for Chen to gain sympathy votes, while some Pan-Green supporters theorized that the assassination was a plot of China.

On 24 August 2004, the Pan-Blue controlled Legislative Yuan approved legislation setting up the "3–19 truth investigative commission" to probe the shooting. Members of the commission were selected to reflect the political composition of the Fifth Legislative Yuan. The commission had the right to interview government officials and demand documents, and later presented its findings to the legislature. The law suspended the right to silence and forbid influencing the commission's investigation. The commission was also authorized to command a government prosecuting attorney, to unilaterally utilize the disaster reserve funds from the Executive Yuan, and to override court verdicts. Because such a law was suspected unconstitutional, the Pan-Green Coalition opposed the commission.

Forensic scientist Henry Lee submitted a 130-page report and a CD containing 150 photos to Andrew Hsia, director general of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York on 29 August 2004. He concluded that the incident was not a political assassination attempt because "a more powerful weapon than a homemade pistol would have been used." He was unable to make a conclusive report, but indicated his findings would help locate the gun and its factory. Lee's findings prompted immediate outrage from conspiracy theorists as it did not fit well with either side.

On 9 September 2004, three men – Yeh Ho-chiang, 37, Chen Ching-hung, 33, and Huang Chin-shou, 43 – were arrested at an illegal weapons factory near Tainan possessing bullets matching those found at the crime scene.

On 7 March 2005, Taiwanese police held a conference about the shooting incident. Two suspects were named; Chen Yi-hsiung and Huang Hung-Ren. Both of them were found dead shortly after the 3–19 incident. Chen was living in the vicinity and resembled one of the unknown persons shown on police tapes in the hot zone (the "yellow coat bald guy"). The tape was released by the police on 26 March 2004, and Chen was found drowned in a harbor on March 28. The connection between Chen and the weapon maker was established by confirming Chen as being the 5th hand of a possible weapon; additionally family members of Chen stated that he left suicide notes, which according to the Taiwanese police's interpretation hinted that he committed the crime, although the notes had been burned by the family, and the interpretation held by the police is at best tenuous. Additionally the family members were reported to have recalled strange behavior of Chen following the 3–19 shooting. On the other hand, Huang also committed suicide with a gun that was made from the same manufacturer as that of the incident, and the bullet found shared traits with the one that hit the vice-president.

A fisherman reported to have seen Chen "with the suspected agents near Anping Harbor on March 26 and 27, 2004 — a few days prior to Chen Yi-hsiung’s death — seeking to rent a boat from the fisherman, possibly to use it to escape." However, there continue to be lingering doubts among a substantial part of the population of both sides. Lien, who happened to be leaving office as KMT chairman on the same day, publicly expressed disbelief. A China Times poll purportedly showed that only 19% of the surveyed persons believe that there had been a sufficiently thorough investigation. Pan-Blue legislators have called for continued investigation of the case, as has Vice President Lu.

The incident was dramatized in the film (2019), directed by Fu Changfeng.

References

  • Taiwan Assassin 3/19