With gun restrictions high and stabbings more common in Japan, this knife attack that occurred at a facility for disabled people at 1 p.m. Eastern time Monday [July 25] still comes as a shock.
Tsukui Yamayurien facility in Sagamihara [West of Tokyo] was the site where 26 year-old Satoshi Uematsu broke into the window at 2 a.m. on Tuesday (1 p.m. EST). An employee at the facility that employees 222 workers called in to the police to report the mass stabbing.
An hour later, Uematsu turned himself in at the police station. Holding a knife and a cloth covered in blood, the killing ended but the damage had been done. The area is 7.5 acres and houses 149 in residence, along with the previously mentioned 222 employees. At the time of the killing spree, only nine employees were at the facility.
The victims ages range from 19-70. Uematsu was employed at this facility, up until February that is. Twenty of the 25 victims injured had serious injuries.
A picture of one of the victims’ car that he used to drive himself to the police station has been released.
PressEye
The thoughts of carrying this plan through wasn’t new for Uematsu. Local police say Uematsu sent in a letter to politicians threatening to kill disabled people. The letter was written in February, the same month he ceased work at the facility.
