KUMAMOTO (TR) – Police in Koshi City shot and arrested a 21-year-old man after he robbed a convenience store at knifepoint and engaged in a tense standoff with armed officers on Wednesday, reports TV Asahi (July 23).
Shion Maeda was arrested on the spot on suspicion of obstructing police in the performance of their duties. Following the gunfire, Maeda was transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds to his right shoulder and right leg. His injuries are not life-threatening, according to local fire department officials.
The incident unfolded at around 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday when a clerk at a Family Mart in the Nagae Danchi residential area called police to report a man entering the store with a bladed weapon.
“Hurry up and hand over the cash,” Maeda allegedly demanded. He threatened the clerk and made off with approximately 30,000 yen in cash.
Drop your weapon!”
Dramatic video footage captured by bystanders shows the ensuing confrontation in the store’s parking lot. Maeda, gripping a knife-like object in his right hand, pointed the blade toward approaching officers from a distance of just one to two meters.
“Drop your weapon! Drop it now!” officers can be heard repeatedly shouting in the video.
When Maeda refused to comply, officers opened fire. Witnesses reported hearing between three and five gunshots echoing through the quiet residential neighborhood. One bystander recounted seeing an officer fire a warning shot into the air before the suspect was ultimately shot.
“It’s terrifying”
Following the gunfire, officers utilizing a riot shield and a police baton managed to knock the blade from Maeda’s hand and pin him to the ground. In the footage, a subdued Maeda can be heard quietly stating his name to arresting officers.
“It’s terrifying for something like this to happen in a quiet residential area,” one witness told reporters. Another bystander recalled hiding in fear, noting that after being apprehended, the suspect could be heard muttering about having committed a robbery.
Authorities are currently investigating the exact number of shots fired and the full details of the confrontation.
Shootings are rare in Japan
Tatsuyuki Narumi, a former investigator with the Kanagawa Prefectural Police, noted that such shootings are exceedingly rare in Japan.
Under police protocol, officers are instructed to issue verbal warnings and fire a warning shot into the air if time permits. However, if an armed suspect refuses to disarm and continues to advance, officers are authorized to fire at the suspect to protect their own lives and the lives of civilians.
