One Dead in Rare Taiwan Airport Shootout

A shootout outside an airport in central Taiwan apparently sparked by a man who punched a policeman killed one person and left two others wounded, police said.

The rare exchange of gunfire occurred at around 2:40 pm (0640 GMT) when a man who was taking his 10-year-old daughter to Chinchuankang airport confronted a policeman for not wearing a helmet.

The 45-year-old man, identified only by his surname Chang, punched the policeman on the nose, leading the policeman to try to pull out his handgun in order to defend himself.

The weapon fell to the ground, however, and Chang grabbed it, opening fire on two other policemen who were apparently coming to the rescue of their colleague.

The ensuing shootout was captured on video by a traveler in the terminal and broadcast on a local television channel.

Chang was sent to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead, while the policeman who had lost his weapon and a female passenger were wounded.

Chang's daughter, who told police her father had a history of mental illness, was unharmed. Police said the incident was under investigation.