Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot in the back. The attack happened when the politician was giving a campaign speech in an open area.
A Japanese government spokesman said Abe was attacked by the gunman around 11:30 a.m. (local time).
Close-up video of Japanese former PM Shinzo Abe being shot and the suspect being tackled. pic.twitter.com/QA0Ywupn8Z
— Global: MilitaryInfo (@Global_Mil_Info) July 8, 2022
The person who shot the politician, Japan's longest serving prime minister (2006-2007, 2012-2020), has been arrested and the weapon he used has been seized by the police. It is about a 42-year-old man, whose identity has not yet been disclosed.
The former head of government was giving a speech before the Senate elections. He is in a state of cardio-respiratory arrest, so the death remains to be reported by a medical examiner.
NHK video shows the moment Shinzo Abe's suspected attacker was stopped. Local media reporting a man in his 40s has been arrested on a charge of attempted murder #Abe #安倍晋三 pic.twitter.com/oMcDV31vfn
— Tom Bateman (@tomb8man) July 8, 2022