CHIBA (TR) – Chiba Prefectural Police suspect that a man fatally shot his girlfriend before committing suicide in two locations in the prefecture on Tuesday, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Sept. 22).
At just before 4:00 a.m., a local resident in the village of Kosei tipped off police after finding the man, aged around his 40s, inside a vehicle stopped at a crossing for the Sotobo Line.
Officers arriving at the vehicle, whose engine was running, found the man with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head in the driver’s seat. He was later confirmed dead at a hospital.
What appeared to be a gun was retrieved from inside the vehicle, police said.
Later, at around 6:30 a.m., police received a call about “a woman collapsed with a blood-soaked breathing mask ” on a farming road in Mobara City that is about 7.5 kilometers from the crossing.
Officers arriving at the scene found the woman, believed to be aged in her 60s, lying face-up with what appeared to be several gunshot wounds to the head. She was confirmed dead at the scene.
Based on evidence found at both locations, police learned that the man was in a relationship with the woman. He likely shot her before taking his life at the crossing, police said.
Police are now working to confirm the identities of both persons.
