7 dead in Akihabara
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Tsujoi
Social Media Manager
I know, I know, old news, but no-one was talking on it here...soo...
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At least seven people were killed while 11 others were injured in Tokyo’s Akihabara electronics district on Sunday, June 6th. Local media reports say that a man apparently drove a truck in broad daylight through a crowd of pedestrians. Afterwards the man got out and began stabbing people at random with a 12-inch survival knife. Among the seven dead were six men aged 19, 20, 31, 33, 47 and 74. Another victim was a woman aged 21.
[UPDATE 06/08/08] — New reports coming in now have the death toll at seven.
The incident took place at around 12:30pm on Chuo dori — main thoroughfare that cuts through the world-famous shopping district. The road is closed on Sundays to vehicles to allow crowds of shoppers and pedestrians the opportunity to freely enjoy the large number of electronic shops, manga comic stores, cafes, and other related hobby events.
Police have arrested a 25-year old man by the name of Tomohiro Katou of Shizuoka Prefecture (Susono City) — originally born in Aomori Prefecture northern Japan. ”I came to Akihabara to kill people,” have sources quote Katou as telling police. ”I am tired of the world. Anyone was OK. I came alone.”
*Fallen victims:
* Nakamura Katsuhiko (male, 74)
* Fujino Kazunori (male, 19)
* Koiwa Kasuhiro (male, 47)
* Miyamoto Naoki (male, 31)
* Kawaguchi Takahiro (male, 19)
* Mutou Mai (female, 21)
* Matsui Mitsuru (male, 33)
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from moetron
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At least seven people were killed while 11 others were injured in Tokyo’s Akihabara electronics district on Sunday, June 6th. Local media reports say that a man apparently drove a truck in broad daylight through a crowd of pedestrians. Afterwards the man got out and began stabbing people at random with a 12-inch survival knife. Among the seven dead were six men aged 19, 20, 31, 33, 47 and 74. Another victim was a woman aged 21.
[UPDATE 06/08/08] — New reports coming in now have the death toll at seven.
The incident took place at around 12:30pm on Chuo dori — main thoroughfare that cuts through the world-famous shopping district. The road is closed on Sundays to vehicles to allow crowds of shoppers and pedestrians the opportunity to freely enjoy the large number of electronic shops, manga comic stores, cafes, and other related hobby events.
Police have arrested a 25-year old man by the name of Tomohiro Katou of Shizuoka Prefecture (Susono City) — originally born in Aomori Prefecture northern Japan. ”I came to Akihabara to kill people,” have sources quote Katou as telling police. ”I am tired of the world. Anyone was OK. I came alone.”
*Fallen victims:
* Nakamura Katsuhiko (male, 74)
* Fujino Kazunori (male, 19)
* Koiwa Kasuhiro (male, 47)
* Miyamoto Naoki (male, 31)
* Kawaguchi Takahiro (male, 19)
* Mutou Mai (female, 21)
* Matsui Mitsuru (male, 33)
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from moetron
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Uwaaaa... Never knew about this. Damn crazy old men. Don't they know that stabbing people is bad for the Health?! 8)
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This won't stop me from going! I just hope it doesn't lose that Akiba charm before I get to visit.
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It received quite a bit of coverage in the news over here. After the stabbing incident, I doubt Akibahara will be the same, at least not in the near future. From what I have read, there are plenty of policemen patrolling the streets, looking out for suspicious behaviour and conducting random spot checks.
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Its such a shame, those people were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Aki is a great place and i hope the restrictions won't be overly strict(outdoor fakes stalls are endless...), but after this i guess safety needs to be a priority in case there are others wanting a repeat.. :?
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i agree with gizmo, my deepest condolences to those who lost someone in the act. i guess i cant understand everyones mentality, including someone fed up with life and the world in general... but i hope it was worth wasting his own in jail.
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Waar
FAKKU Moderator
not cool, wish people who intend to end their lives would leave others out of it.
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Yeah, this made the headlines in the papers over here too. Sucks, since I'm going to Tokyo in July this year.
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Waar wrote...
not cool, wish people who intend to end their lives would leave others out of it.I don't think he wanted to end his own life, he just wanted to end others' lives.
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The Jesus wrote...
Waar wrote...
not cool, wish people who intend to end their lives would leave others out of it.I don't think he wanted to end his own life, he just wanted to end others' lives.
Or maybe he did wanted to die but too coward to go alone...
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Mecha-Tama wrote...
If he was tired of the world, then he should have killed himself.Although he only got 7, I'm sure he was trying to make a statement. By killing all the people in the world that make it this way, we can create a brand new world.
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The Jesus wrote...
Mecha-Tama wrote...
If he was tired of the world, then he should have killed himself.Although he only got 7, I'm sure he was trying to make a statement. By killing all the people in the world that make it this way, we can create a brand new world.
There are plenty of people out there who deserve to die. If you want to make the world a better place go after them, not innoccent people who are just out having a good time.
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phatmlrd wrote...
The Jesus wrote...
Mecha-Tama wrote...
If he was tired of the world, then he should have killed himself.Although he only got 7, I'm sure he was trying to make a statement. By killing all the people in the world that make it this way, we can create a brand new world.
There are plenty of people out there who deserve to die. If you want to make the world a better place go after them, not innoccent people who are just out having a good time.
You can't be so quick to judge. There are some people that, obviously, the world would be better without, but that only takes care of part of the problem. In the past, its been proven that the common people are the ones that truly influence the movement and development of society. Especially consumers. I can't know what he was thinking, but if I was in his shoes, I'd probably target a mecca for consumers as well. Then again, I would have also have planned it out better. If you want to kill a large amount of people you bring something bigger than a hunting knife. A hunting knife is good for a small amount, but its obvious he was anticipating better results.
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Tsujoi
Social Media Manager
“We had an excess of love from our mother, who believed good education leads to a good future,” his younger brother told the Shukan Gendai weekly.
Speaking about the family and calling Kato “that” or “culprit”, he said their mother was strict, recalling one evening when Kato was around 13.
“The four of us were at the dinner table without saying a word as usual… Mother suddenly grew angry about †˜that’, spread newspaper sheets in the hallway and poured his rice, soup and rest of the meal over them.”
“†˜You eat there!,’ she said. †˜That’ was crying while eating from what was piled up on the newspaper,” the brother said, adding the father had just remained silent at the family home in the northern city of Aomori.
The mother used to order her sons to redo homework so that it would impress school teachers, the brother said.
“She always cast her eye on what we wrote in what we called †˜censorship’. She always sought perfection.
“We were ordered to rewrite if she spotted one incorrect or ugly character … It wasn’t a correction by using an eraser but trashing the entire piece of paper and starting writing again.”
Kato started acting violently at around the age of 15, the brother said.
After entering a prestigious high school, his class rank quickly slipped as he rubbed shoulders with the region’s brightest children. He felt he was losing his mother’s affection.
“The culprit quickly realised her affection had shifted to me and misunderstood he was useless,” the brother said.
The brother said he saw Kato shouting to his mother: “You are dumping me!”
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"Apparently a policeman chased this man with his baton — and actually parried with him as he ran and apparently was still stabbing people — and only drew his gun AFTER Kato had put down the knife. Three words for the Japanese cops — SHOOT TO KILL!"
-Adamu of Mutantfrog Travelogue
Speaking about the family and calling Kato “that” or “culprit”, he said their mother was strict, recalling one evening when Kato was around 13.
“The four of us were at the dinner table without saying a word as usual… Mother suddenly grew angry about †˜that’, spread newspaper sheets in the hallway and poured his rice, soup and rest of the meal over them.”
“†˜You eat there!,’ she said. †˜That’ was crying while eating from what was piled up on the newspaper,” the brother said, adding the father had just remained silent at the family home in the northern city of Aomori.
The mother used to order her sons to redo homework so that it would impress school teachers, the brother said.
“She always cast her eye on what we wrote in what we called †˜censorship’. She always sought perfection.
“We were ordered to rewrite if she spotted one incorrect or ugly character … It wasn’t a correction by using an eraser but trashing the entire piece of paper and starting writing again.”
Kato started acting violently at around the age of 15, the brother said.
After entering a prestigious high school, his class rank quickly slipped as he rubbed shoulders with the region’s brightest children. He felt he was losing his mother’s affection.
“The culprit quickly realised her affection had shifted to me and misunderstood he was useless,” the brother said.
The brother said he saw Kato shouting to his mother: “You are dumping me!”
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"Apparently a policeman chased this man with his baton — and actually parried with him as he ran and apparently was still stabbing people — and only drew his gun AFTER Kato had put down the knife. Three words for the Japanese cops — SHOOT TO KILL!"
-Adamu of Mutantfrog Travelogue
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Yeah, I heard this one. The people in Akihabara made offerings of wine and manga to those who killed. The killer should choose a Yakuza hangout rather than an Otaku place of gathering.
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Tsujoi
Social Media Manager
Some folks in the media are determined to make otaku look bad.
A weekly journal published an article on how "the 2-channelers are praising the Akihabara killer by calling him a god."
A load of 2-channelers are responding by saying that they have never seen such a thread.
News and 2-channelers response at Itai News.
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Another indiscriminate knifing incident...
A woman went around Osaka station knifing three passengers who had short sleeves. All three were women - two were 20 years and one was 52 years of age. One of the women had a stab wound 12 cm deep.
The woman initially escaped but thanks to surveillance cameras she was later caught. She is currently being questioned as to why she attacked the other passengers.
Reports on the TV showed the attacker just standing on the platform looking very normal indeed and then suddenly taking out a knife. These knifing incidents are starting to get scary. Its like you just dont know whose going to whip out a knife. Whats worse is that they do it in broad daylight in front of everybody and its not like its in a dark alley which you can avoid...
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source from dannychoo
A weekly journal published an article on how "the 2-channelers are praising the Akihabara killer by calling him a god."
A load of 2-channelers are responding by saying that they have never seen such a thread.
News and 2-channelers response at Itai News.
------------
Another indiscriminate knifing incident...
A woman went around Osaka station knifing three passengers who had short sleeves. All three were women - two were 20 years and one was 52 years of age. One of the women had a stab wound 12 cm deep.
The woman initially escaped but thanks to surveillance cameras she was later caught. She is currently being questioned as to why she attacked the other passengers.
Reports on the TV showed the attacker just standing on the platform looking very normal indeed and then suddenly taking out a knife. These knifing incidents are starting to get scary. Its like you just dont know whose going to whip out a knife. Whats worse is that they do it in broad daylight in front of everybody and its not like its in a dark alley which you can avoid...
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source from dannychoo