A man named Masanori Aoki has been arrested after a rare shooting and stabbing attack in Nagano prefecture, Japan. A woman was stabbed and two policemen were shot with a hunting rifle, with a fourth death later confirmed. Aoki, the 31-year-old son of a local politician, barricaded himself for nearly 12 hours inside his father’s home with his mother and aunt. He was later detained after stepping out of the house early on Friday morning. Aoki’s motive for the attack is not clear, but he reportedly said “I killed her because I wanted to” when asked why he had stabbed the woman.
According to a report from a recent report by the BBC, a rare shooting and stabbing attack in Japan has left four people dead. The incident occurred in Nagano prefecture, where a man allegedly stabbed a woman and shot two policemen with a hunting rifle. A fourth death was later confirmed, and police have named the suspect as Masanori Aoki, the 31-year-old son of a local politician.
Shootings of multiple police officers are even rarer in Japan, with the last incident taking place more than 30 years ago. In Thursday’s incident, police received a call about a man who had chased and then stabbed a woman. An eyewitness working in a nearby field reported that the man’s attack on his first victim had been carried out with a blade around 30cm (1ft) long.
It is not yet clear what motivated Mr. Aoki to carry out the attack. When the witness asked the suspect why he had stabbed the woman, he is said to have replied: “I killed her because I wanted to.” After attacking the woman, Mr. Aoki allegedly shot police officers who responded to the emergency.
Mr. Aoki later barricaded himself for nearly 12 hours inside his father’s home in a quiet residential area of Nakano city, together with his mother and aunt. His father, Masamichi Aoki, is the speaker of Nakano city’s assembly. Footage from NHK showed police vehicles and ambulances near the home. Police officers wearing body armour and carrying shields formed a 300m (328 yards) exclusion zone around the house.
Hours later, the suspect’s mother and aunt were seen fleeing from the house, reported Japanese media. The suspect stepped out of the house early on Friday morning and was detained. Local media reported that Mr. Aoki was a grape farmer who owned a gelato shop in the neighbourhood.
Residents were urged to stay at home via email announcements and on the neighbourhood loudspeaker, while police also went door to door. Later in the evening, local media aired footage of gunshots being heard just after 20:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Thursday. Some residents had to spend the night elsewhere, while the local school was set to close. But after the arrest, people were told they could go about their day.
The incident has shocked the local community, where violent crime is relatively rare. Japan has one of the lowest rates of gun ownership in the world, and gun violence is extremely rare. However, the incident has highlighted the need for continued vigilance against violent crime, even in countries with low levels of gun ownership.
In summary, the recent shooting and stabbing attack in Japan has left four people dead and has shocked the local community. The suspect, Masanori Aoki, has been arrested and is currently in custody. The incident has highlighted the need for continued vigilance against violent crime, even in countries with low levels of gun ownership.
