Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Shot Dead By Assassin During Campaign Speech

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot while giving a campaign speech in the city of Nara on Friday morning.

The 67-year-old politician had been making a speech on Friday morning in the city, which is just outside of Osaka in the southwestern portion of the country. At around 11:30 a.m. local time, he was shot in the back and the right side of his neck, according to local reports from Japan’s public media outlet NHK.

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Abe was rushed to Nara Medical University for treatment, with CNN reporting that as many as 20 doctors and medical professionals attempted to revive him. Sadly, he perished in the attack. The outlet reported that he’d been struck by a bullet “deep enough to reach his heart,” and surgeons were unable to stop the bleeding.

Later on Friday, NHK confirmed that police arrested a 41-year-old man identified as Yamagami Tetsuya in connection with the attack. The man, who previously worked for Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force, had allegedly used a homemade gun in the assassination attack. The broadcast news org further claimed Tetsuya was “angry” with the former prime minister in the time before going through with the horrific public murder.

As expected, political leaders from around the world are condemning the attack and remembering the late leader’s contributions to politics and diplomacy. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is at the G20 Summit in Indonesia with the world leaders, told the BBC (below):

“Our thoughts, our prayers are with him, with his family, with the people of Japan. This is a very, very sad moment. And we’re awaiting news from Japan.”

Abe had been one of Japan’s longest-serving and most influential prime minsters. He worked the powerful job over two different stints, including a long second run as leader from 2012 through 2020.

[Image via WION/YouTube]

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