Sun An‑tso’s Flamethrower Case: Why Taiwan’s Court Ordered Two Months of Detention

The video quickly drew attention online and prompted police to open an investigation into whether the device and related weapons violated Taiwanese law.

What Police Found During Searches

After the video surfaced, prosecutors directed police to search Sun’s residence and another suspect’s home. During the searches, investigators seized several items linked to weapons or the flamethrower device, including:

• A shoulder‑mounted flamethrower‑like device
• Fuel hoses and industrial gas cylinders
• A modified (non‑standard) shotgun
• Imitation firearms
• Marijuana

Authorities said the items strengthened suspicions that the activities shown in the video could pose serious risks to public safety and social order .

What Happened to the Other Suspect

Another individual connected to the case, identified by the surname Chen, was also investigated.

Unlike Sun, Chen was released on NT$30,000 bail. The court imposed several restrictions, including:

• Remaining at his residence
• Not leaving Taiwan during the investigation

Chen was also suspected of drug‑related offenses involving second‑class narcotics, according to prosecutors .

Why the Case Drew Extra Attention

The 2026 investigation quickly became a major news story in Taiwan partly because Sun An‑tso had already been involved in a high‑profile weapons case in the United States in 2018.

At the time, Sun was an 18‑year‑old Taiwanese exchange student in Pennsylvania. He was arrested after allegedly telling a classmate he planned to shoot up his high school. During the investigation, police said they found more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition and a semiautomatic firearm linked to him .

Sun later pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge and state terroristic‑threat charges. After serving time in custody, he was deported from the United States and barred from returning without permission .

Because of that earlier case, the flamethrower video and weapons investigation in Taiwan drew heightened scrutiny from both the public and authorities.

The Situation Now

As of the court’s decision, Sun remained detained and held incommunicado while prosecutors continued their investigation into weapons possession and public‑safety offenses. The case centers on whether the devices shown in the video—and the weapons later seized—violated Taiwanese law and posed a serious risk to the public .

The outcome will depend on the results of the ongoing investigation and any formal indictments prosecutors may file.