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Construction exec gunned down in Kyushu, yakuza involvement suspected

The president of a construction company was shot and killed near his residence in Kitakyushu City
The president of a construction company was shot and killed near his residence in Kitakyushu City
FUKUOKA (TR) – The president of a construction company located in Kitakyushu City was shot and killed outside his home Saturday evening, reports the Nikkei Shimbun (Nov. 28).

Toshihiro Uchino, 72, the chairman of contractor Hakushin Construction, was shot at close range just after emerging from a car in Kokura-Kita Ward at 9:05 p.m. by a gunman riding double on a motorcycle, according to police.

Considering the nature of the attack, police suspect that a yakuza criminal syndicate is involved.

According to police, an autopsy revealed that blood loss from a bullet hitting Uchino in the base of the neck was the cause of death. Another bullet was found along a stone wall at the home.

The driver of the motorcycle and accompanying gunman immediately fled the scene, according to police. Their whereabouts are unknown, but investigators are scouring footage from nearby security cameras for clues.

At the time of the shooting, reports the Sankei Shimbun, Uchino and his wife had just been driven home from Fukuoka, where they had watched the last day of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.