Former Japanese PM, Shinzo Abe Confirmed Dead After Being Shot While Giving Campaign Speech

Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former prime minister, died at the age of 67 after being shot while giving a speech in the western Japanese city of Nara.

After the incident, Abe, the country’s longest-serving prime minister until he resigned in 2020, was evacuated to hospital by helicopter. NHK, Japan’s state television, broke the news of his death first.

Footage and stories carried by Japanese media showed Abe’s address being interrupted by two loud explosions – apparently from a shotgun – and smoke, with Abe stumbling to the ground following the second shot.

According to TBS, he was wounded in the left side of his chest and reportedly in the neck. NHK reported that firefighters said Abe displayed no vital signs.

Moments later, members of Abe’s security detail wrestled a man to the ground metres behind the former prime minister.

The suspect was wearing a grey shirt, light brown trousers and grey trainers. His face was partly obscured by a surgical mask. He reportedly did not attempt to flee before being detained at the scene.

NHK said a suspect, named by police as Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara, had been taken into custody but provided no further details.

Police said the weapon thought to have been used in the attack was homemade, according to local media reports.

A photograph showed two cylindrical metal parts that appeared to have been heavily bound with black tape lying on the road near the scene.

 

 

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