TOKYO (TR) – A teenage police officer is in critical condition after allegedly shooting himself in the head with his service pistol inside a police box in Hachioji City on Saturday afternoon, reports TBS News (Sep. 17).
According to police, the male officer, who is in his teens and assigned to the community affairs division, was discovered collapsed and bleeding from the head at the Owada Koban at around 4:00 p.m.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he remains unconscious and in critical condition.
Police found the officer’s issued handgun lying on the floor near his body. Another police staff member reported hearing a gunshot just before the discovery, leading investigators to treat the incident as an attempted suicide while on duty.
“We are currently confirming the details of the incident, but if it is true that he used his handgun, it is highly regrettable,” said Kazuhiro Hanyu, Chief of the Hachioji Police Station. “While we pray that he survives, we will work to clarify the facts of the matter.”
