Japanese authorities reported today, Friday, that a 31-year-old man has been arrested in a rural area on suspicion of murder, following the death of four individuals in a rare shooting and stabbing incident in the country, which included a 12-hour standoff with police.
The police chief of Nagano Prefecture revealed in a televised press conference that the suspect had barricaded himself in his home after shooting at police officers who arrived at the scene in response to a report of a woman being stabbed. It appears the suspect used a shotgun in the incident.
According to NHK, the suspect is the son of the mayor of Nakano City in Nagano Prefecture. Chief of Police Iwao Koyama stated that the police officers and the woman were taken to the hospital but were pronounced dead within hours. He added, "This is a heinous crime that has caused great fear among local residents and the community at large."
An elderly woman also died after a suspected knife attack. Reports indicated she had been lying outside the house since Thursday evening, and the police were unable to reach her.
Media outlets reported that the man was apprehended around 4:30 AM local time (19:30 GMT) on Friday, approximately 12 hours after the first emergency call was received. Koyama mentioned that he was arrested on suspicion of killing one of the police officers, clarifying that the suspect’s mother and another relative were in the house with him but managed to escape.
Gun incidents are rare in Japan due to strict gun ownership regulations requiring thorough screening for potential gun owners. The head of the Public Safety Commission, in a separate statement, confirmed that the suspect had a license for a shotgun. The motive behind the incident has yet to be determined.
