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Man suspected of stabbing 10 commuters wanted ‘to kill successful women’

TOKYO (TR) – A 36-year-old man in custody over a stabbing spree on an Odakyu Electric Railway train that left 10 commuters injured has told police he had hoped to kill as many people as possible, reports Fuji News Network (Aug. 8).

“When I was in college, I was looked down upon by women when I participated in club activities, and I didn’t get along with the women I met on dating sites,” Yusuke Tsushima was quoted. “So I started to want to kill successful women.”

At around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Tsushima wielded a knife in stabbing the victims inside a Odakyu Odawara Line rapid express train near Soshigaya-Okura Station.

A 20-year-old female college student sustained seven stab wounds to her back and other parts of her body. None of the victims are in life-threatening condition, police said previously.

After the incident, Tsushima fled. However, he was later located at a convenience store in neighboring Suginami Ward. Early Saturday, police accused him of attempted murder.

Yusuke Tsushima (Twitter)

“Kill a lot of people”

The train departed Fujisawa Station in Kanagawa Prefecture and was bound for Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. The incident took place between Seijogakuen-mae and Soshigaya-Okura stations.

In carrying out the crime, Tsushima moved through three train cars successively as he stabbed and assaulted the victims. In the third car, he sprayed the floor with salad oil, which he tried to set on fire with a cigarette lighter.

“On a train, everyone is careless,” he said. “So you can kill a lot of people.”

“Anyone was fine”

Police believe the crime was planned beforehand. A tote bag that contained a change of clothing was found at the scene. In addition to the butcher knife, which has a 20-centimeter-long blade, the suspect brought scissors onto the train for “reserve” purposes.

“I bought [the knife] two years ago to commit suicide,” he said, according to the Mainichi Shimbun (Aug. 7).

Tsushima also said he chose a rapid express train because commuters would be unable to get out due to the few stops at stations.

“About 6 years ago, I saw a happy woman and wanted to kill her,” he said. “I chose that train because there is no escape and I can kill a lot of people. Anyone was fine.”