A suspected gunman has been arrested after a shooting at a hospital and a hostage situation at a post office in Warabi City near Tokyo. The incident came as police probed a shooting at a hospital earlier in the day.
An 86-year-old gunman who took a number of people hostage at a post office in Warabi City, just outside Tokyo, has been arrested by police.
An eight-hour-long standoff ensued with police communicating with the man by phone before finally storming the building and detaining him.
His motive remains unclear but police believe he was involved in an earlier incident at a hospital and have also linked him to a fire at an apartment near the hospital, which is reportedly the suspect's home.
What happened at the post office?
"At approximately 2:15 p.m. today, a person has taken hostages and holed up at a post office in Chuo 5-chome area of Warabi City... The perpetrator is possessing what appears to be a gun," said an official statement.
"Citizens near the scene are urged to follow police instructions and evacuate in accordance with police instructions."
Japanese broadcaster Nippon TV initially said that two female post office workers were among the hostages, citing police sources.
More than five hours after the standoff began, one member of staff came out uninjured.
The TBS broadcaster said that Saitama Prefectural Police urged 300 residents in the nearby area to evacuate.
Television footage showed the suspect inside the post office in a baseball cap and a white vest under a dark coat, apparently carrying a gun attached to a cord around his neck.
Police stormed the post office about an hour after the second hostage was released unharmed.
Source: Dw
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