Edward Sun (also known as Sun An Tso) is the son of Taiwanese actors Sun Peng and Di Ying and the 20-year-old was formally charged in Taiwan this week after being deported from the United States. He faces a 10-year jail sentence for possessing illegal firearms. In early 2018, Edward was in the news after being arrested in Pennsylvania for allegedly threatening to shoot up his high school.
At that time, when he was 18, Edward insisted that he was just joking but authorities found 1,600 bullets and a handmade gun in his possession at his home. Edward shot a public service announcement with his mother a few months upon returning to Taiwan. It was reported that Edward said that he was a fan of the military and had bought the firearms because of his fascination with warfare.
According to several insiders, one the reasons for the huge amount of firearms in his possession was because Edward wanted to try out his guns at the local firing range. Another person who said that they were friends with Edward claimed that Edward might have wanted to join the country’s 3-gun shooting competition. Edward spent 238 days in police custody after a legal battle that lasted nine months. He was then deported from the United States and banned from entering the country.
Since returning, he has a new hobby now which is bodybuilding. Edward was released without bail and upon reaching Taiwan was able to live a normal life. However, the prosecutor’s office has now formally charged the 20-year-old with the crime of “attempting to manufacture a firearm.” If Edward is found guilty, he will be jailed from between three and 10 years, depending on the verdict.
When contacted, Edward’s management said: “We will not be responding for the time being, there is no new information that we can share as well.”
Edward’s parents reportedly spent USD1 million (SGD1.37 million) on his legal battle in the United States. They did not respond to any media queries.
Di Ying’s elder sister, however, shared her concern for her nephew, saying: “I really didn’t know that something like this would happen… I just had a meal with Di Ying and her family a while back, I hope they will be able to get through this hurdle [together].”