SHIMANE (TR) – Shimane Prefectural Police have arrested a 47-year-old man over the alleged hammer attack of a patient at a hospital in Matsue City last week, reports Sankei Sports (Sept. 11).
At around 10:50 a.m. on September 7, Katsumi Morimoto, an employee in the construction industry, entered Matsue Memorial Hospital carrying the 28-centimeter-long hammer in a bag. After entering a room, he struck a 49-year-old male patient in the head, according to the Matsue Police Station.
The victim suffered a laceration to the left side of his head, an injury that will require 10 days to heal, police said.
After the incident, Morimoto fled the hospital and sped off in a vehicle. On Tuesday night, the suspect surrendered at a police station in Tottori Prefecture. He is believed to have traveled to Tottori by car.
Morimoto has been accused of attempted murder, a charge he denies. “He got scratched in picking up my hammer,” the suspect was quoted in referring to the victim.
Police are now investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.
