Man Arrested in Japan After Four Killed in Rare Weapon, Knife Attack

A 31-year-old man has been arrested in rural Japan after 4 folks have been killed in a uncommon gun and knife assault that concerned a 12-hour standoff with police.

The suspect was detained on suspicion of homicide after barricading himself at his father’s residence close to the city of Nakano, northwest of the capital Tokyo, round 4:30 am (1930 GMT) on Friday.

The assault started Thursday afternoon when an area man engaged on a farm noticed a lady “working off the street yelling ‘assist me,'” he advised nationwide broadcaster NHK.

“Behind her was a camouflaged man carrying a big knife, who stabbed her within the again,” added the 72-year-old witness.

The suspect is accused of taking pictures useless two law enforcement officials who arrived on the scene after the witness known as the emergency companies.

The 2 officers, who have been allegedly shot of their automobile, and the girl have been taken to the hospital the place they have been pronounced useless inside hours.

One other aged lady additionally died after an obvious assault. She had been mendacity on the bottom outdoors the home since Thursday afternoon and police had been unable to find her, the media mentioned.

The riot in a rural space of ​​the western area was a uncommon case of violent crime in Japan, which has a low homicide price and among the strictest gun legal guidelines on this planet.

The motive for the murders has not but been revealed, nor has the suspect been formally recognized, though a number of native media reported that he’s the son of the president of the Nakano metropolis meeting.

“We pray for the souls of the deceased and categorical our honest condolences to the bereaved households,” prime authorities spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno advised reporters.

“Police are investigating to seek out out the total image of the incident, together with how the crime unfolded and its background.”

Few different particulars have been identified in regards to the assault, together with the suspect’s motive.

The Nagano Prefectural Police are scheduled to carry a press convention afterward Friday.

Japan was left reeling in July final yr when former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot whereas campaigning.

Final month, a person was arrested for allegedly throwing a “smoke bomb” at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida whereas he was campaigning within the western metropolis of Wakayama.

Kishida was unhurt and a person arrested on the scene will endure a three-month psychiatric examination, a regional court docket mentioned this week.