OKINAWA (TR) – Okinawa Prefectural Police arrested a 51-year-old man after he allegedly set two officers on fire in Uruma City on Wednesday, leaving one with serious injuries, reports the Okinawa Times (May 18).
At around 2:30 p.m., Yoshihide Taira allegedly splashed the officers with a liquid believed to be gasoline and set them on fire after they entered his second-floor residence via the balcony.
According to police, one officer suffered serious burns to his face and tumbled off the balcony after the fire started. He was transported to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. The other officer was singed on both of his arms.
Taira, who has been charged with starting a fire in an inhabited building and interfering with a public servant’s duties, admits to the charges. Police are now investigating whether to also charge the suspect with attempted murder.
Prior to the incident, the officers were investigating Taira on suspicion of assault resulting in injury of a female acquaintance.
