Sean Lien’s (連勝文) speedy recovery from injuries sustained in a shooting on Friday has raised eyebrows, with an online petition calling for the release of his X-rays.
A National Taiwan University Hospital spokeswoman said on Saturday that a bullet entered the left side of Lien’s face and exited near his right temple.
However, there was speculation yesterday that some media sources may have exaggerated the extent of his injuries to affect the outcome of the election.
Wang Kuo-cheng (王國城), who practices medicine in Taipei County, expressed doubts over the nature of the wound, saying the recovery defied medical logic.
Wang said that having sustained a gunshot wound to the face, Lien should have been receiving doses of antibiotics, painkillers and injections of nutrients.
Reports that Lien has been able to talk, receive guests and eat solid foods within 40 hours of being shot is inconsistent with the alleged facts, not least because of the risk of infection, Wang said in comments quoted in the press.
A Netizen, identified as “Demogorgan,” pointed out that Lien would not have problems eating, as the bullet missed his oral cavity. However, the inflammation caused by the wound would have made opening and closing his mouth difficult, rendering it almost impossible to chew.
Another poster, named “zwx,” said that Lien would not have been allowed to chew while his stitches healed because of the risk of infection should the wound re-open.
Another Netizen, “Ririkaru,” recalled that when he was recovering from a broken leg, the pain had lasted for two weeks, during which he was only able to eat non-solid foods.
A page has been set up on Facebook petitioning NTU Hospital to release X-rays and pictures of Lien’s wound.
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) said the shooting might have been carried out by gangsters. Yeh wondered if gangsters had tried to affect the results of the special municipality elections for their own gains in election gambling.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) rebutted the speculation, calling it “ridiculous.”
Police sources said yesterday that initial investigations have found that the suspect arrested in connection with the shooting was not the plot’s mastermind.
The sources said Lin Cheng-wei (林正偉) is a “suicide gunman” and unlikely to reveal who was behind the shooting.
A senior police officer, who asked not to be named, said Lin probably received money and will be given another sum as “family comfort compensation” for carrying out the shooting.
Investigators believe that Lin had targeted Lien, although he said his target was Chen Hung-yuan (陳鴻源), the KMT Sinbei city council candidate Lien was stumping for at the time.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG
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