Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Assassinated
KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated while delivering a speech on Friday, according to multiple reports.
The Daily Mail reported Abe was shot in the back in the city of Nara in south-central Honshu. The 67-year-old collapsed and was rushed to a hospital and a man was reportedly arrested. Abe appeared to have been shot twice and showed no signs of life, Japanese news outlet NHK reported.
Police have arrested 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, who has so far been charged with attempted murder, according to NBC News.
Photos posted on Twitter purported to show the aftermath of the shooting, with a man resembling Abe lying on his back with what appears to be blood on his chest. The photos also show Yamagami being detained.
【超速報】
犯人と倒れた安倍晋三の写真 pic.twitter.com/JYX8eVOCdU— し•ぐ•ま•ん•🐻゛🧸゛ (@guma_bear) July 8, 2022
NHK aired footage of what appears to be the shooting.
First video of attempted assassination attempt on Shinzo Abe: pic.twitter.com/3GrQX7QLpK
— Scott Stedman (@ScottMStedman) July 8, 2022
Video posted online which has not been verified by Mediaite appears to show the aftermath of the shooting.
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot in the city of Nara#Japan #Shinzoabe pic.twitter.com/ug7hFDWvty
— Ratnesh Mishra 🇮🇳 (@Ratnesh_speaks) July 8, 2022
Abe was the prime minister of Japan from 2012 until 2020. In his speech, he was urging voters to support his Liberal Democratic Party in the country’s parliamentary elections on Sunday.
This story is developing.
