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Japan police arrested a man on early May 26, 2023, who allegedly stabbed a woman and killed three others, including shooting two policemen with a hunting rifle in Nagano.

According to local Japanese media, the 31-year-old suspect, Masanori Aoki, is the eldest son of Nakano’s city assembly speaker, Masamichi Aoki.

He had barricaded himself in his father’s residence after the attack.

The incident happened in a quiet, rural area about two kilometres west of the Shinshu-Nakano Station of Nagano Electric Railway.

What happened

At around 4:30pm on May 25, 2023, a passerby called the police to alert them about a man stabbing a woman.

An eyewitness working in a nearby field at around 4pm told Japan Times that he first spotted the man clad in camouflage clothing, chasing a woman shouting for help.

He said he saw the man grab the woman before stabbing her with a blade which appeared to be around 30cm long.

The eyewitness claimed he stabbed her again when she fell onto the ground.

After the police’s arrival, the man – armed with what looked like a hunting rifle – fired shots at the officers.

The man later fled to his father’s house while those residing within a 300-metre radius of the incident were told to evacuate, said the police.

Two other women, including the suspect’s mother, escaped the house while the man’s father was also safe.

Victims

The 66-year-old woman and two police officers were pronounced dead after being conveyed to the hospital, according to Yomiuri Shimbun.

The police officers were identified to be Yoshiki Tamai, 46, and Takuo Ikeuchi, 61.

Another elderly woman, discovered on the ground near the attack, was confirmed dead on May 26 morning.

Top image via Getty Images - Kyodo News