KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a 64-year-old man accused of intentionally targeting and tackling young girls on their way to school in Yamato City, reports TV Asahi (June 19).
The suspect, identified as Yokohama City resident and company employee Masayuki Takahashi, was taken into custody after a series of bizarre assaults targeting elementary schoolers.
According to police, Takahashi approached a 7-year-old second-grade girl while she was walking on a pedestrian crossing near her elementary school at 7:24 a.m. on May 26. He then suddenly body-slammed the child, causing her to fall and injure her knee.
The assailant, who was wearing a black face mask, had already become a known menace in the neighborhood. Locals had dubbed him the “black-masked bumping grandpa” (kuro-mask no butsukari ojisan) following multiple prior sightings near the school.
In another case, on June 12, another young girl was tackled by a black-masked man while waiting at a traffic light in front of teachers, which prompted them to contact the police.
With police on high alert and patrols increased, officers spotted a man matching the suspect’s description loitering in the area on June 18, leading to his arrest.
Upon questioning on suspicion of inflicting injury, Takahashi admitted to the allegations. “There is no doubt about what I did, and I have no objections,” he told investigators.
Police are currently investigating his motive for repeatedly targeting the young students.
