By . Julian Robinson . A wargamer dressed as a soldier and carrying a fake gun nearly died when he strolled into a packed subway station in a country on high alert after a series of public killings. Ming Shao, who was off to join friends playing survivalist games in Taiwan, said he couldn't be bothered to pack his uniform and imitation weapon. So the 29-year-old walked on to the underground train in the city of Taipei in Taiwan in south-eastern China in his military-style outfit sparking fears he was a gunman about to open fire. He even had a helmet fitted with night vision. Ming Shao, pictured on a train in his military outfit and carrying a fake gun, was on his way to play wargames with friends when armed police were called in . Ming Shao was carrying a fake gun and imitation hand grenades at the subway station in Taipei. Just a week earlier a man had gone on a killing spree at the same station . The incident came just a week after a man went on a stabbing spree at the same station, killing three people. 'This man doesn't realise how close he came to losing his life,' said an officer called to assist in the latest incident. 'Armed specialists were poised to open fire and ask questions later. If he had twitched or looked the wrong way he would have been dead because our priority was to protect the innocent civilians on that train.' According to the man he was on his way to a wargaming afternoon with friends and later told police: 'I didn't mean any harm.' Officers eventually let him off with a caution - and told him to go home and change. Ming Shao, pictured left as he was stopped by armed police, and right, carrying his luggage near the station, later told police he 'did not mean any harm' by wearing the soldier outfit . China has experienced a number of attacks on innocent people in public places in recent times, making the population fearful when they see strangers behaving unusually. Last week at the same station in Taipei a man went on a stabbing spree aboard a subway train, killing three people and wounding 25 others in the worst such incident on the island. Cheng Chieh, a 21-year-old college student, was immediately arrested after the incident, the first fatal attack on the city’s subway system since it began operating in 1996. Three people died during the attack and a fourth victim, a 62-year-old woman, died later in hospital. The other three victims were a woman and two men. After ordering him to lie flat on the floor, police let Ming Shao off with a caution - and told him to go home and change . The police swoop, pictured, came a week after a man went on a stabbing spree aboard a subway train at the same station, killing three people and wounding 25 others . Cheng spoke of his motives during police questioning. 'He told the police that he had wanted to do a ‘big thing’ such as this since his childhood,' Chen Kuo-en, chief of the New Taipei City police bureau, told reporters. 'He said he had planned to do this after his graduation, but last week decided to act ahead of his schedule,' the police chief said, adding that the attacker had no medical record of mental disorder. The student bought two knives, including a 30-centimetre-long knife and a smaller one at a supermarket in Taipei in preparation for the attack. After being alerted to the attacks, authorities immediately reinforced police deployment on the busy subway system, which transports around 1.85 million visitors per day.
Ming Shao wore outfit on his way to play 'survivalist games' in Tapei, Taiwan .
Armed police revealed they were 'poised to fire' if he made the wrong move .
Officers were called in amid concerns he was a gunman ready to open fire .
29-year-old released with a caution after saying he 'didn't mean any harm'
Incident came a week after stabbing spree at the same station a week ago .
By . Julian Robinson . A wargamer dressed as a soldier and carrying a fake gun nearly died when he strolled into a packed subway station in a country on high alert after a series of public killings. Ming Shao, who was off to join friends playing survivalist games in Taiwan, said he couldn't be bothered to pack his uniform and imitation weapon. So the 29-year-old walked on to the underground train in the city of Taipei in Taiwan in south-eastern China in his military-style outfit sparking fears he was a gunman about to open fire. He even had a helmet fitted with night vision. Ming Shao, pictured on a train in his military outfit and carrying a fake gun, was on his way to play wargames with friends when armed police were called in . Ming Shao was carrying a fake gun and imitation hand grenades at the subway station in Taipei. Just a week earlier a man had gone on a killing spree at the same station . The incident came just a week after a man went on a stabbing spree at the same station, killing three people. 'This man doesn't realise how close he came to losing his life,' said an officer called to assist in the latest incident. 'Armed specialists were poised to open fire and ask questions later. If he had twitched or looked the wrong way he would have been dead because our priority was to protect the innocent civilians on that train.' According to the man he was on his way to a wargaming afternoon with friends and later told police: 'I didn't mean any harm.' Officers eventually let him off with a caution - and told him to go home and change. Ming Shao, pictured left as he was stopped by armed police, and right, carrying his luggage near the station, later told police he 'did not mean any harm' by wearing the soldier outfit . China has experienced a number of attacks on innocent people in public places in recent times, making the population fearful when they see strangers behaving unusually. Last week at the same station in Taipei a man went on a stabbing spree aboard a subway train, killing three people and wounding 25 others in the worst such incident on the island. Cheng Chieh, a 21-year-old college student, was immediately arrested after the incident, the first fatal attack on the city’s subway system since it began operating in 1996. Three people died during the attack and a fourth victim, a 62-year-old woman, died later in hospital. The other three victims were a woman and two men. After ordering him to lie flat on the floor, police let Ming Shao off with a caution - and told him to go home and change . The police swoop, pictured, came a week after a man went on a stabbing spree aboard a subway train at the same station, killing three people and wounding 25 others . Cheng spoke of his motives during police questioning. 'He told the police that he had wanted to do a ‘big thing’ such as this since his childhood,' Chen Kuo-en, chief of the New Taipei City police bureau, told reporters. 'He said he had planned to do this after his graduation, but last week decided to act ahead of his schedule,' the police chief said, adding that the attacker had no medical record of mental disorder. The student bought two knives, including a 30-centimetre-long knife and a smaller one at a supermarket in Taipei in preparation for the attack. After being alerted to the attacks, authorities immediately reinforced police deployment on the busy subway system, which transports around 1.85 million visitors per day.
playing survivalist games in Taiwan, said he fake gun, was on his way to play wargames with friends when armed police were called in . Ming after a man went on a stabbing spree at the same incident. 'Armed specialists were poised to open Ming Shao, pictured left as he was stopped by mean any harm' by wearing the soldier outfit . same station in Taipei a man went on a stabbing The police swoop, pictured, came a week after a