TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A Taiwanese marine was shot to death inside his car in southern Taiwan by a group of gangsters on scooters who thought he was another man, reported CNA.

At 3 a.m. on June 2, a 23-year-old soldier surnamed Ho (何) had just finished refueling his blue Hyundai at a gas station on Yanping Road in Pingtung County's Chaozhou Township and had barely driven 300 meters when more than 10 vehicles suddenly approached him from behind. One car blocked him from the front, while the rest pulled up from behind and a mob of 15 to 16 angry men jumped out and smashed his windows.

Next someone fired shots into the vehicle and Ho was mortally wounded.

After police brought in over 20 people for interrogations, they discovered that it was a case of mistaken identity. A man surnamed Yin (鄞) was angry that his girlfriend, surnamed Lee (李), had broken up with him and he wanted to beat her. Lee's female friend, surnamed Hsu (許), on Facebook cursed Yin and he retaliated, causing her boyfriend, surnamed Wang (王), to become enraged.

The two parties (Wang and Yin) had agreed to settle the dispute in person at 2 a.m. at the gas station on Yangping Road. Wang enlisted his friends to come to support him, including a man surnamed (黃), who drove a white Mercedes Benz.

Meanwhile, Yin enlisted an armada of over 20 men on scooters armed with bats. Huang arrived first, but Wang was nowhere to be seen.

Huang and two other passengers in his Mercedes were ruthlessly beaten by Yin's gang, with Huang later died from his wounds at the hospital.



Damage to Mercedes. (CNA image)

Incensed, at the attack on his friends, Wang arranged to meet Yin again and this time rallied the support of 10 vehicles and at 3 a.m. at the gas station on Yanping Road, he spotted Ho filling his car up.

Wang mistook Ho's car for Yin's, blocked him from fleeing and then a man surnamed Hung (洪) is suspected of firing the fatal shots that took Ho's life.

By 11 a.m. this morning, police had arrested a total of 22 people on both sides, with five in custody and 10 released on bail.



Damage to Ho's car. (CNA image)