19 Dead after Mass Stabbing in Japan
- By Sydny Shepard
- Jul 26, 2016
At least 19 are dead and 26 others are injured after a mass stabbing at a facility for the disabled in what authorities are calling the “deadliest massacre in Japan since World War II.” Nine men and 10 women, ranging in age from 18 to 70 were killed in the attack.
Of the 26 injured, 13 are “severely” hurt, according to local authorities. Ten suffered moderate injuries and the remaining three have minor injuries. They are being treated at a number of hospitals.
Officer Satomi Kurihara of the Sagamihara Fire Department confirmed the death toll at the Tsukui Yamayurien facility in Sagamihara, a residential area just west of Tokyo.
The suspect, Satoshi Uematsi, a 26-year-old who had worked at the facility until February, broke into the building through a window at about 2 a.m. (1 p.m. ET Monday) according to local officials. Law enforcement received calls reporting the attack shortly after it began. At about 3 a.m. Uematsu turned himself in at the police station, carrying a bloodstained knife and a cloth.
A total of 222 people work at the facility, but only nine, one of whom was a security guard, were on the premises when the incident occurred.
While the exact motivation is unknown, it has been reported that the suspect had taken a letter to Japanese legislature outlining a society in which “euthanasia of the disabled” was accepted.
There are no ties to terrorism or ISIS in this case.
About the Author
Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.