By Ogaga Ariemu
Former Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe has been asssinated after being shot while making a speech in the western city of Nara.
The 67-year-old Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister until he resigned in 2020, was flown to the hospital by helicopter after the shooting.
Footage and accounts broadcast by Japanese media showed Abe’s speech interrupted by two loud bangs – possibly from a shotgun – and smoke, with Abe stumbling to the ground after the second shot.
Moments later, members of Abe’s security detail wrestled a man to the ground some metres behind the former prime minister.
The suspect was wearing a grey shirt, light brown trousers and grey trainers. His face was partly obscured by a surgical mask.
He reportedly did not attempt to flee before being detained at the scene.
Police named the suspect as Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara.
Police revealed that he has since confessed, telling them he wanted to kill Abe because he was ‘frustrated’ with him.
Witnesses said Abe was about to start speaking when Yamagami approached him from behind and fired two shots, the second of which felled him.
Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the shooting an attack on ‘the foundation of democracy’, describing it as ‘heinous’, ‘barbaric and malicious’, and ‘absolutely unforgivable’. “I would like to use the most extreme words available to condemn this act,” he added.