A university student who went on the rampage with a knife on a busy underground train killing four people and injuring more than 20 others has been sentenced to death . The New Taipei District Court in Taiwan sentenced 21-year-old Cheng Chieh 24 death sentences , one for each of his victims , for the rush-hour attack on a commuter train in the capital Taipei in May last year . The ruling also deprived Cheng of his civil rights for the rest of his life . Death sentece : University student Cheng Chieh who went on the rampage with a knife on an underground train killing four people . Cheng Chieh used a 10-centimetre knife to slash passengers in the chest and stomach , in some cases as they slept , whilst travelling in a carriage on the metro system 's longest stretch between two stations , the court heard . He was subdued by police and metro staff after the train pulled into its next station . He had complained when interviewed about having too much stress in his life and said he wanted to get the death penalty , but also wanted to do something big before he died . Cheng was set to obtain a master 's degree in business administration and international business from NCKU university in Tainan City this summer . When the attack took place , he was in Taipei for a job interview . He has the right to appeal the verdict but even his parents called for him to be sentenced to death for the attack that also left 22 people injured . Bloodbath : People battle to stop the bleeding as victims lie on the floor of carriages on the underground in Taipei . Student Cheng Chieh has been sentenced to death for the killings . Appearing in court , Cheng showed no reaction when his sentences were announced . Family members of the deceased who were present in court also welcomed the verdict , saying that giving Cheng the death penalty met public expectations . Cheng 's father Feng agreed , saying : 'Although he is our child , the crime he committed is unforgivable . 'He should be sentenced to death and face it himself . Only by so doing may the pains inflicted on the victims and the wounded and their families be slightly eased . Guilty : Cheng Chieh who went on a knife rampage on the underground in Taipei which left four people dead and scores more injured . Victim : A commuter lies dead on the underground with an umbrella still by his hand . Student Cheng Chieh has been sentenced to death in Taiwan . Bloody carriages : Horrific scenes from busy underground in Taipei following knife rampage which left four dead . Cheng Chieh has been sentenced to death for four murders and injuring 22 others . He urged judges to carry out the sentence as soon as possible saying : 'We hope Cheng Chieh can act in a correct manner during his next life . ' He also said that an apology was meaningless and could not ease his pain . He said he can only hope that there will be no recurrences of such an incident in Taiwan . Court spokeswoman Lien Yu-chyun said the New Taipei City district court considered 'the vicious nature of the method that the defendant ... used to kill to be significant ' . She cited public outrage over the case and said that Cheng would be 'hard to reform ' . Carnage : Police comb the scene gathering evidence at the underground station in Taipei , Taiwan . Police cordon : An umbrella can be seen lying on the bloody station platform following the knife attack in Taipei in May last year . Before the attack , Cheng posted a message on his Facebook page saying he 'wanted to do something big ' . He told authorities later that the stabbings felt 'like slicing tofu , ' according to local news reports . Ahead of the verdict , Taiwan 's Apple Daily newspaper quoted him as saying that he would not mind receiving a death sentence . Taiwanese book publisher and historian Yang Lian-fu said : 'People are likely to support Cheng 's sentence , with some considering him ' a monster that rose from hell ' . ' But Yang added that some Taiwanese worry that the case points to problems in preparing young people for the homework , job searches and family pressures that have intensified over the past 40 years . Frenzy : Media jostle to picture Cheng Chieh who was given 24 death sentences for the bloody rampage on an underground train in Taiwan . Deadly : Cheng Chieh was given 24 death sentences for the murderous spree on an underground train in Taiwan . Cheng has been described as a homebody who was fond of computer games but who complained about the stress in his life for which the only way out was the death penalty . Yang warned however that there may be other instances , saying : 'Cheng Chieh is an isolated case , but his isolated case has its place in today 's society . There are people who are lost or there are things in society that make them feel unsatisfied , like they have no goals in life . ' The verdict adds to Taiwan 's death row total that stands at more than 100 . The number of executions , which are carried out by shooting , declined after 2000 due to public opposition , with none between 2006 and 2009 . They resumed in 2010 following a change in president and renewed sentiment in favour of the policy .
Wounded one passengers in bloody rampage on tube 's longest stretch . Used three-inch fruit knife to slash passengers in the chest and stomach . Even Cheng Chieh 's parents called for him to be given death sentence . Business administration student was in Taipei for a job interview . Told authorities the stabbings felt 'like slicing tofu '