Suspect arrested after shooting, stabbing attack leaves 4 dead in Japan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - A son of a local lawmaker in Japan was arrested on suspicion of killing four people in a stabbing and shooting attack, local media reported.

Masanori Aoki, 31, has admitted to “killing a policeman” during the incident on Thursday in the central Nagano province, Tokyo-based Kyodo News Agency quoted police as saying.

He is the eldest son of Masamichi Aoki, 57, the speaker of the city assembly in Nakano city, it said.

Local residents had placed an emergency call on Thursday afternoon upon encountering a man "carrying a knife or a firearm," and he reportedly remains at large in the area.

Aoki, who was reportedly wearing a camouflage uniform, a hat, sunglasses and a mask, allegedly shot police officers who responded to the emergency call.

He was possessing a license for four firearms.

The four deceased included two women aged 66 and 70, and two cops of age 46 and 61 who were not wearing bulletproof vests when they reached the spot to respond to the situation.

He was taken into custody at around 4.37 a.m.