FUKUOKA (TR) – A manhunt is underway after a man and woman were apparently stabbed at a shopping center in Fukuoka City on Sunday, authorities said, reports NHK (Dec. 14).
At shortly after 5:00 p.m., a witness called the fire department to report an assault that resulted in injuries to the two people at the BOSS E・ZO FUKUOKA shopping center, located in Chuo Ward.
A woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s were taken to a hospital in the city with unspecified injuries.
According to the police, both victims are conscious and able to speak, but suffered injuries that appeared to have been caused by a knife.
Area bustling with families
BOSS E-ZO FUKUOKA is located next to Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka, home of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks baseball team. The area is lined with hotels and other establishments. It is an area bustling with families and young people on weekends.
The woman is believed to have been attacked in a corridor a few meters from an employee entrance on the first floor.
Believed to be in his 60s, the suspected perpetrator fled the scene afterward and remains at large. Police have deployed personnel in the surrounding area and are searching for him on suspicion of attempted murder.
He stands approximately 160 centimeters tall. At the time, he was wearing black clothing, glasses, a white mask and a black hat. He is believed to have fled the scene holding what appears to be a knife.
The commercial facility is also home to the theater for idol group HKT48. The group announced on their official website that their online handshake event, scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m., has been cancelled.
