6 killed, 12 injured in stabbing rampage in Akihabara

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5 dead in stabbing spree in Akihabara

TOKYO -- Japanese public broadcaster NHK says the death toll from a midday stabbing spree in Tokyo has risen to five.

The deadly attack at lunchtime Sunday in the Akihabara district also injured 12 others, paralyzing shoppers with fear.

Police say they arrested a 25-year-old man at the scene.

Local news reports say the attacker grunted and roared as he slashed and stabbed his victims at random on a street crowded with shoppers.

Akihabara's electronics and video game district, known as Electric Town, is wildly popular with Japan's cyber-wise youth.

Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080608p2a00m0na001000c.html

Pictures from the scene of the crime: http://mainichi.jp/select/jiken/graph/20080608/index.html

Update:

6 killed, 12 injured in stabbing rampage in Akihabara

Sunday 08th June, 05:11 PM JST

TOKYO —

Six people died and 12 others were injured after a man hit pedestrians with a truck and then stabbed others on a street in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, a popular electronics area and a magnet for comic and animation fans.

Police arrested the man, 25-year-old Tomohiro Kato from Shizuoka Prefecture, and seized a survival knife he was carrying. He admitted to stabbing all the people with the knife from around 12:30 p.m., police said.

‘‘I came to Akihabara to kill people,’’ investigative sources quoted Kato as telling police. ‘‘I am tired of the world. Anyone was OK. I came alone.’’

According to police, five of the six who died were males. Three of the males were aged 19, 47 and 74, but the ages of the other three killed were not immediately known.

The 18 victims who were all taken to hospital after the stabbing rampage were 15 men and three women, including a traffic police officer who was patrolling at the time.

The area was crowded with shoppers as Chuo-dori was vehicle-free for pedestrians. The scene was near the intersection of Chuo-dori and Kanda Myojin-dori streets, only a stone’s throw from JR Akihabara Station.

A 19-year-old man from Tokyo’s Ota Ward said, ‘‘The man (Kato) jumped on top of a man he had hit with his vehicle and stabbed him with a knife many times. Then he started moving toward Akihabara station, slashing people at random.’’

Shunichi Jingu, a 26-year-old self-employed man from Gunma Prefecture, who witnessed the incident, said, ‘‘It seemed that a traffic accident had happened. Then I saw a man get out of a vehicle and brandish a knife.’’

Akihabara is a district of Tokyo known for its electronics shops and as a center of modern culture, including ‘‘manga’’ comic books and animations, and attracts many visitors from both Japan and abroad.

Source: http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/12-stabbed-others-hit-by-assailants-car-on-akihabara-street

[SomethingWild]

Terrible.

If he's tired of the world, why stab other people to death..

[Kuja]

It is beyond my imagination too, why anyone would kill other people because they're tired of life themselfs. I cannot understand it.
The amount of people dead seems to be 7 now, at least that's what was just said in news.

[doinkies]

The guy seems very crazy, to have murdered people like that for that reason. My condolences to the victims and their families.

[Ayabie]

Been following this all day.

Of all places he chose Akihabara.

[cool_kickin_dude]

it could have been a lot worse..thank goodness the police was all over him

[StreakInTheSky]

Been following this all day.

Of all places he chose Akihabara.

Yeah it bothers me that he chose Akiba...

It seems it only took one officer with a gun to stop him, so it doesn't look like he wanted to take his own life. He was tired of the world so he wanted to fuck it up maybe...

[tiny]

It seems he posted his plans on a mobile phone site.

[Yukari]

Been following this all day.

Of all places he chose Akihabara.

Yeah it bothers me that he chose Akiba...

It seems it only took one officer with a gun to stop him, so it doesn't look like he wanted to take his own life. He was tired of the world so he wanted to fuck it up maybe...

i think that he chose it 'cause some japanese people hate them... lucky that the police come and he couldn't kill more people

[StreakInTheSky]

Hate them, as in Otaku? I thought maybe that was it, but it wasn't only otaku that he attacked, it seems like it was anyone who was around. And he said he's been there a few times so I wouldn't be surprised if he is one himself.


Well it seems he did intend to take his life, but backed out when he saw the gun?
Looks to me this guy knew very well what he was doing and wasn't mentally incapacitated, and just went on a murderous rampage.

[doinkies]

He must have wanted to do something that would make him get the death penalty...

[nachdenki]

A bit random but I've heard the 19 years old boy was AKB48 wota D: ... feels odd since yea.. wota.

Also some Swiss page (and most likely a dozen other pages) has posted all? these messages he posted
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/dyn/news/ausland/884925.html scroll to the bottom~ (if you know German you can even read the translations )
Scary. Also wth driving with a truck into people and then stabbing them... jeez.

[JTRIX]

Been following this all day.

Of all places he chose Akihabara.

And the incident happened like 50m away from where AKB48 stage is...
But this is very sad that he has to take other people's life for his boringness.