Taiwan has executed a man convicted of killing four people in a subway stabbing spree two years ago, an attack that strengthened support for the death penalty on the island, where violent crime is rare. Cheng's two-minute stabbing spree on a subway train during rush hour in Taipei on May 21, 2014, left four people dead and 22 injured. Amid criticism from death penalty opponents, the Ministry of Justice said the death sentence was necessary because of the severity of the crime and public demands to uphold social justice. The attack shocked the high-tech island, where private gun ownership is largely banned and crime levels are relatively low. Cheng Chieh, 23, was executed Tuesday night, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement on its website.

Source: ABC News May 10, 2016 23:50 UTC