The boss of a medical aesthetics clinic in Taipei got shot on February 21, 2026. Photo: Screenshot from ETtoday

A suspected gunman, surnamed Lin, who changed disguises 11 times before and after shooting a 65-year-old Taipei aesthetic medical clinic boss, surnamed Hsiao, got arrested by police on Thursday, with all the six of his accomplices taken into custody. Hsiao was shot and wounded in the leg during a post-Chinese New Year back-to-work ceremony on February 21, with two employees also injured, local media outlets including China Times and ETtoday reported on Thursday. 

Media reports said the 23-year-old suspect, surnamed Lin, who has a criminal record including affray and assault, and is reported to have a gang background, scouted the site multiple times before carrying out the shooting. He allegedly changed disguises twice before the shooting and nine times afterward in an attempt to evade capture. 

Media reported that after committing the crime, the gunman walked through nearby streets, changed disguises in alleyways before fleeing by taxi, and switched vehicles multiple times to evade surveillance. 

Police arrested the suspect at a guesthouse in Alishan in southern Taiwan island on Thursday and arrested six accomplices who allegedly assisted Lin. The case is being investigated on charges including attempted murder and endangering public safety. 

The wounded medical aesthetics clinic boss told the police that he had received threatening phone calls last month and suspected the shooting was retaliation related to an investment dispute with a shareholder. 

According to a previous report from Wen Wei Po, a masked gunman opened fire during a Chinese New Year back-to-work ceremony at a Taipei medical aesthetics clinic on February 21, shooting the clinic head in the leg and causing minor injuries to two employees. 

Hsiao was taken to the hospital for treatment and is not in life-threatening condition, according to Taiwan local media outlet CNA. Police recovered three shell casings and one bullet from the scene, according to Wen Wei Po. 

Global Times