Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan, was shot and killed while giving a speech at a political event in the Nara prefecture in western Japan on Friday, July 8, 2022. He died in the end because of his injuries. Japan, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the world, is very upset about the assassination.
Tetsuya Yamagami, who was 41 years old, was thought to be the shooter. Security quickly caught him, but they had already shot the famous politician twice in the neck and heart.
The suspect’s weapon was found at the scene of the crime where it was used. Local news says that it is a hand-made gun made from simple materials like metal pipes. Officers later said that they found several weapons that the suspect had made at his home.
Former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe was assassinated on Friday during a campaign in western Japan
What is a handmade gun? Shinzo Abe’s assassination raises questions in a nation ruled by strict laws
Shinzo Abe stepped down as prime minister in 2020 because of health problems. He was killed in broad daylight while giving a speech in support of incumbent parliamentary member Kei Sato at a campaign rally for the upcoming election in Japan.
A former detective in the firearms control division of the Metropolitan Police Department told The Daily Beast that the gun used to kill Shinzo Abe was not a typical one.
Pictures taken by local reporters show that the double-barreled gun is made of metal pipes that have been duct-taped together and attached to a wooden body.
Another thing a police officer said was:
In a country like Japan, where gun laws are very strict, it is not easy to legally own a gun. In Japan, handguns are illegal. Hunters can legally own shotguns if they take a few classes, pass a written test, get a doctor’s note saying they are mentally fit, and have no criminal history. Not everything. Before a gun permit is given, the police talk to the people who want to own a gun and do thorough background checks.
The gun that was used to shoot at Shinzo Abe was not made in a factory. Even though these hand-made guns are simple, they can kill if they are shot close up. These makeshift guns, also called “zip guns,” are made from nails, steel pipes, and wood. People who make their own guns don’t have to get a license, so they are still a threat in places like Japan where gun violence is lower than in most other places.
Yamagami, who is 41 years old and unemployed, is said to have served in the country’s navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, for three years. He has said that he has a grudge against the former prime minister because he is said to have worked with a certain group. NHK says that the Nara resident had “planned” to kill Abe.
